Remember When
by Emilee Amethyst
Summary: "I will find you. I will always find you." Says the Charming Family motto. But does it still apply when two centuries separate you from the one you love? Captain Swan story slight universe alterations. Picks up at season 2's "The Doctor" where Emma already knows Hook from their past, but he has "no bloody clue" whom she is. Title inspired by the Avril Lavigne song of the same name.
1. Prologue

The Enchanted Forest, she was really in the Enchanted Forest.

Emma Swan grew up like most children in her world. She believed in fairies, princesses, a knight in shining armor, true love's kiss, and of course, happily ever after. But her thoughts on fairytales weren't like most children's. She always felt like there was more to the story of _Snow White_. There had to be more of a reason than just jealousy to make the queen hate her so much. Why did the huntsman really save her? And there had to be more to the love story than just a single kiss and a song, right?

Another story Emma found intriguing was the story of _Peter Pan_. She wished that she could escape the foster homes. Just follow the second star to the right straight on 'til morning and live in Neverland. But not as a lost girl under Peter Pan's rule. Most children thought Pan was the hero of the story, but then again a lot of people just watched cartoons. Emma on the other hand, took the time to read the original novel and get the true story behind Pan, Captain Hook, the reason they were enemies, and who the lost boys were. In her opinion, Pan was a bit twisted and sometimes just full of nonsense and it irritated her. She could never follow someone permanently childish.

No, she wanted to be part of Captain Hook's crew. She wanted freedom and independence, to spend her days sailing the open ocean. She didn't want to stay a child; she wanted to grow up so she could take care of herself and not need anyone else. No one ever cared about her anyway. And they may be pirates but they believed in good form. Why, the words 'bad form' was the last thing Hook uttered to Pan before he died.

Emma might not have flown to Neverland but she did get out of the foster homes and she did grow up. And once again, like most children when they grow up, she became more concerned with reality than fairytales. By the time she got out of jail and reached adulthood, she had ultimately stopped believing in them. That is until she heard a knock at her door on her twenty-eighth birthday.

At first she didn't believe Henry and couldn't get wait to get out of Storybrooke, Maine. But after almost losing her son, she finally did believe. It was a lot to take in and she was still processing it all. But she couldn't deny it anymore. Her parents were Snow White and Prince Charming after all, another thing she was still coming to terms with. And she was walking right beside Mulan and Sleeping Beauty. And it was one thing to know everyone in town was cursed and from another realm, but it was another to actually be there. She had never really missed anywhere she'd lived before. But since she fell through that magic hat and Mary Margaret followed after her, all she could think about was getting back to Storybrooke, back to Henry. But the question was: how?


	2. Found

**So if you've made it passed the prologue, I want to say a great big thank you for reading this. It's my first Captain Swan fic and I hope I do it justice.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time. I might not remember to say this every chapter but it true for all of them.**

 **And now without further ado, here's chapter one. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Emma, Mary Margaret, Mulan, and Aurora returned to the camp to find everyone dead. And all of their hearts ripped out. But lifeless bodies weren't the only thing they found, someone was still alive. Someone Emma thought she'd never see again.

"Killian?" She gasped when she saw his face.

He looked up at her when he heard his name and she saw the puzzled expression cross his face. She also saw the look in his eyes. Instead of the love and awe she was used to seeing and the recognition she was hoping for, she found nothing. He didn't know who she was.

Like a robot she followed Mulan. She tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. It had only been about a decade since she last saw him, but it had probably been centuries since he'd seen her. Maybe Cora had done something to his memories and that's why she left him alive. But whatever reasons she tried to make herself believe, she still felt hurt. Him not remembering her felt like a punch to the gut. Honestly, Neal's betrayal threw her for quite the loop but it didn't hurt as much as this did. But should she really be surprised that she was hurt again by someone she loved?

But now wasn't the time for self-pity and crying about it wouldn't bring back what they had. So she put on her armor and decided to get to the bottom of this. She wouldn't stop Cora and get home to Henry by being weak.

"Here you go." She stated as she gave Killian a cup and Mulan filled it with water.

He took a sip then told the story of how he survived Cora's attack. But she knew he was lying to them. Her superpower always worked, especially with him. And he knew it, or at least he used to. So she decided to remind him.

"I'm telling you the truth." He said and she wanted to believe him but knew she couldn't.

This wasn't the Killian she knew. He'd changed and she didn't just mean the lack of memories or left hand. She hated to admit it but she couldn't trust him anymore, not until she knew this new Killian and what he was up to.

"I know this land well. I can guide you…"

"You're not gonna guide us anywhere until you tell us how you really survived!" She threatened as she placed her knife to his throat.

She didn't know what set off the alarm bells in her head that told her this was a trap, but something did. Something that made her self-preservation instincts kick in and the knife and threat came out before she even realized what she was doing. But it helped accomplish what they needed to. With the help of Mulan she tied him to nearby tree. Part of her felt a little guilty for doing this to him but she also felt he deserved it. He had yet to stop lying to her since the moment he was found.

But it was more than that. In keeping her feelings bottled up, her hurt turned into anger. Not that she could really blame him though for forgetting her, she really wasn't all that special. But, seeing him tied up and about to be left to the ogres helped relieve that anger.

"Good for you, you bested me. I can count the amount of people that have done that on one hand." He admitted when they started walking away.

Seriously? She thought to herself. He was about to be eaten by ogres and he was making a joke about his hand?

"Is that supposed to be funny?" She snapped at him.

"Who are you?" Mulan questioned him.

"Killian Jones, though it seems this beautiful blonde here already know that." He answered and nodded towards her. "But most people have taken to calling me by my more colorful moniker…Hook."

"As in Captain Hook?" She asked and wanted to roll her eyes. Another thing she got to add to the list of unbelievable things that were actually true.

"So you've heard of me." He grinned. "Tell me, love. How is it that you know both my names and yet I have never heard of or seen you before?"

She was grateful for the ogre's distraction because she didn't know how to answer him. And now certainly wasn't the time.

"You better hurry up, they're getting closer. So unless you want to be dinner you better start talking." She told him. And start talking he did.

"That was Cora not me!" He stated when Mulan suggested leaving him there for killing everyone in the camp.

"Wait!" He yelled when the group started to leave. "You need me alive."

He made an offer to work with them so they could get one step ahead of Cora, one step closer to getting home. It sounded too good to be true. And Mary Margaret agreed.

The ogres were getting closer and they needed to make a decision now before they all got eaten.

"Why does Captain Hook want to go to Storybrooke?" She asked and once again pointed her knife on him.

"To exact revenge on the man that took my hand…Rumpelstiltskin." He said evenly, but she could see the hatred in his eyes.

For the first time she knew he was telling her the truth. And for that she decided to cut him free.

CS

A while later they were walking through the woods with Kill…Hook in the lead. Mulan and Aurora were right behind him while she and Mary Margaret stayed back a little to talk.

"Emma, how do you know Hook?" She asked quietly.

"I don't." She stated.

"But you…"

"I knew the man he was before he got the hook. Back when he was just Killian Jones. A feared pirate captain to be sure. But he believed in good form, only attacked ships of a certain kingdom with a corrupt king, would never work with someone like Cora, and he never lied to me."

"Emma, he is the most dangerous pirate out there and killing Rumpelstiltskin is his sole purpose in life. So much so, that he's survived for hundreds of years, just waiting for an opportunity. So how could you possibly know him, especially before all that?"

"I don't know." She shook her head and sighed. "I always questioned how it was possible. Now I'm starting to question if it even happened at all. He has no idea who I am; I can see it in his eyes. Maybe I imagined it or had a really good dream I convinced myself was real."

"Well, dream or reality, what do you remember happening?"

"I was seventeen, heading to Portland. One night I stopped at a camp ground. I thought it'd be easier to steal something and less noticeable, and easier than sneaking into a motel. Later I couldn't sleep so I went for a swim when no one was around." She began and slowly started getting lost in the memory. "One moment I was swimming in the calm lake, the next I was in the middle of an ocean during a storm, struggling to keep my head above water."

CS

 _"That's it love, you'll be alright now." A gentle voice spoke as she coughed up water._

 _Once all the water was out and she could breathe properly again, she looked around to see where she was. She was on a ship, but not like the ones she was used to seeing, this was like something out of a history book._

 _"Come on, lass. Let's get you dry." The same gentle voice that had first spoken to her said._

 _She took the hand he offered her and managed to stand up despite the heavy rocking of the ship._

 _"Thank you," She whispered so as not to irritate her throat._

 _When she did she looked up to see just who was helping her and she was met with beautiful blue eyes. They were the same color as the sea, except calmer. But she could still get lost in them just like she had almost been lost at sea if he hadn't saved her. And she knew without asking that he had been the one to dive in for her even though she didn't exactly remember being brought onto the ship. She just knew somehow._

 _"Of course, but thank me by getting inside where it's warm. I didn't save you from the water so you could freeze out here on deck." He replied and started to lead her below deck._

 _She didn't realize she was cold until he said it and involuntarily shivered a little. Though she'd never admit it, she was glad when he let go of her hand and put his arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer to him. And she did her best to convince herself that it was only to keep her warm. Like he said, what was the point of saving her if she just ended up dead by hypothermia?_

 _His comment might have come off as harsh to someone but she saw the grin that was threatening to ruin his strict leader persona. He was just like her, deflecting when someone got too close. She put up walls and ran away. He made a joke or put on face of commanding authority and no one dare challenge him._

 _They arrived in the captain's quarters; she'd seen enough old pirate movies to know something about the ship she was on. And speaking of pirates, when the man lit the lantern she noticed he was wearing all black leather. At first she thought this might be a merchant ship as he clearly wasn't navy. But no ordinary merchant would be dressed this way; she was on a pirate ship._

 _"I'm sorry I don't have any dresses aboard, but you appear to be comfortable enough in trousers. You can wear these and drape your wet clothes on the back of the chair over there." He told her and placed a stack of folded clothes in her hands. "I'll give you some privacy."_

 _'Well, even if he is a pirate at least he knew how to treat a woman.' She thought when the door closed behind him. But she wasn't taking any chances. She dragged the chair across the room and stuck in under the door knob while she undressed. The clothes he gave her were big but at least they were dry and thicker than the t-shirt she had previously been wearing._

 _As she brought the chair back and laid her wet clothes over it, a thought crossed her mind. She had been swimming in the lake in just her underwear so how had clothes suddenly appeared on her? Then again how was she here in the first place on a centuries old pirate ship?_

 _Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. She walked over and cautiously opened the door just enough to see who it was. She was on a pirate ship after all and while she did trust him for some reason, she wasn't about to trust any of the other crew members._

 _"I got the cook to heat up some soup to help warm you up. And I've got hot water for tea if you like." He offered as he set the bowl of soup and old copper kettle on the desk. "I've got ginger or mint. Which would you prefer, Miss…"_

 _"Swan and I'll take the ginger." She replied as she sat down to taste the soup._

 _Turns out that no matter where you were or what time period, chicken soup was the cure for everything._

 _"Swan," He repeated to himself as he poured the tea and let it steep. "Is there a first name that goes with that?"_

 _She trusted him, but she didn't want to reveal too much too soon. So instead of answering she continued to eat the soup._

 _"You don't trust me." He said as a statement and not a question. "Well, love, I am a pirate as you've probably guessed. And in most cases it is far from wise to trust one. But I promise you, Swan, you can trust me. I give you my word as captain, no harm will come to you during your time on the Jolly Roger."_

 _"You're the captain?" She asked and couldn't hide her surprise. Wasn't he a little young for that? He only appeared to be a few years older than she was and definitely not old enough to be a captain._

 _"Aye, Captain Killian Jones at your service milady." He grinned and she knew that that look would eventually be the death of her._

CS

"Wow, that's…that's quite the story." Mary Margaret said slowly, still taking it all in when Emma was finished.

"Yeah, if it even happened." Emma mumbled. "I just don't know what to think anymore."

She felt like she was at the end of her rope.

"You'll figure it out, Emma, I know you will."

"Thanks, Mary Margaret," Emma tried to give her a small smile. "But let's keep this between ourselves. We don't need Mulan and Aurora to stop trusting us because of my history, whatever it is with Hook."

"Agreed." Mary Margaret nodded. "But what if Hook asks again?"

"Simple, I won't answer."

She could tell Mary Margaret wanted to protest but they had caught up to the others who were eyeing the beanstalk in the distance.

"It's not the climb you need to worry about. It's the giant and the top." Hook told them.

CS

"You know, most men would take your silence as off-putting. But I love a challenge." Hook commented as the two of them climbed the beanstalk.

"I'm concentrating."

"No, you're afraid to talk, to relieve yourself." He stated and then added a few moments later. "Well, I don't need you to share. You're something of an open book."

"Am I?" She asked, knowing the answer. She had always been an open book to him. It was frustrating how he didn't remember her but at the same time knew her so well.

"Quite." He said and then paused for a moment. "Let's see. You volunteered to come up here because you were the most motivated. You need to get back to a child."

"That's not perception, that's eavesdropping." She corrected him and felt proud of herself for proving him wrong.

"Yeah, but you don't want to abandon him the way you were abandoned."

She looked at him and for a moment she wondered if this was all a charade. That he really did know who she was and for some reason was pretending not too. How else could he know that about her other than remembering the time she told him on the deck of the Jolly?

"Was I?" She asked hoping her would give her the answer she wanted.

"Like I said, open book." He replied and then started telling her about the Lost Boys in Neverland.

"Love has been all too rare in your life, hasn't it? Have you ever in been in love?"

She stopped climbing for a moment to look at him. She wanted to say yes. But the more time she spent with him, looked at him and saw no recognition in his eyes, she knew it couldn't be real. That the love they shared wasn't real. You don't just forget that, even during Regina's curse her parents still felt something for each other.

"No, I have never been in love." She stated as convincingly as she could.

Whether she was trying to convince him or herself she wasn't sure. But she hoped he bought the lie. And in silence both of them continued the rest of their climb.

They reached the top of the beanstalk and she saw the old Killian shine through when he bandaged her hand. Sure she was irritated when he poured the rum over the cut without warning, and with the wise guy answer he gave. But as he wrapped the cloth around her hand she felt the same care that she did when he would take care of her during her stay on the Jolly.

As he tended to her cut they came up with a strategy to defeat the giant and decided to use the powder Mulan gave them. He reached into his satchel to get the powder and his sleeve got pushed up a bit. When she went to grab it she saw the tattoo that had just been uncovered, a heart with a dagger through it and the name Milah.

"Who's Milah on the tattoo?" She asked even though she had a pretty good idea who it was.

Other than Killian, Milah was the one friend she had during her time in the past. Had he been in love with Milah the whole time she was there? Was that the reason why he'd forgotten her? Or did it happen after she was gone?

"Someone from long ago." He answered as he walked away from her.

"Gold…Rumpelstiltskin…he took more than your hand from you didn't he. That's why you want to kill him." She said as a statement rather than a question when he told her Milah was gone. Not everything had changed about him. She knew that he didn't stop fighting for those he loved. Killian loved his brother and became a pirate after his death and specifically targeted ships that belonged to his former king. It made sense that he'd survived hundreds of years like Mary Margaret had told her just to get his hook into Gold.

"For someone who's never been in love, you're quite perceptive. Aren't you?" He turned around and replied.

"Maybe I was, once." She admitted quietly.

* * *

 **So yes this is another Emma time travel story. I know it's been done but the idea just wouldn't leave me alone. The first few chapters follow the show a lot just for foundation purposes, plus there are sooo many good lines on the show that I can't not put in here. But it will become more original as time goes on and I hope you stick with me for the journey. With that being said, chapter two is coming sometime this week (hint, hint reviews are awesome encouragement for faster updates!) and it's mostly Hook and Emma with a nice surprise towards the end! Thanks for reading!**


	3. Unlikely Friends

Month 1

 _She had been on the Jolly Roger with Captain Jones for just shy of a month. He had asked her numerous times to call him Killian but she refused. She needed to get home and didn't want to get too attached to anything in this...realm, as he called it. Where apparently magic was real, and so were ogres, giants, and fairytale worthy castles. And to top it off this realm was called the Enchanted Forest. She expected to be given a crown and a fancy dress and told she was a long lost princess in this world._

 _And speaking of dresses, she finally agreed to let Killian give her some money to buy more clothes. The first few ports they docked in weren't the best places for a young woman, but the perfect places for pirates. This port however was nicer and she felt safe to do a little exploring._

 _She found the tailor shop with ease and was welcomed by a kind older woman. She took her measurements then proceeded to show her the different fabrics. At home you just went to the store and grabbed a shirt already made. She never realized all that went into clothes. While she was looking around and listening to the woman explain which fabrics were more durable and practical, especially for life on a ship, another much younger woman walked in._

 _"I have the yarn you asked Rumple for, Mama." The younger woman announced and set a package on the counter._

 _"Thank you, Milah. Where's Bae?"_

 _"Outside playing some game with a few other children." Milah answered her mother then pointed to the fabric Emma was currently holding. "That fabric would make a beautiful dress and it would bring out the color in your eyes."_

 _"Thank you," Emma smiled shyly and looked down; she never knew how to take a compliment._

 _"What's your name? I don't think I've seen you around here before. Are you new to this village?" Milah commented to make polite small talk._

 _"It's Emma. And you could say that. The ship I'm travelling on just docked and will be here for the next few days to restock supplies." She answered a little vaguely._

 _She wasn't sure how these people would react to learning she was currently living on a pirate ship until she found a way back home._

 _"Well, I hope you enjoy it here. If there's anything you need I can show you around. I've lived here my whole life and know the village like the back of my hand." She offered her. "You know I envy you a little. It must be so exciting to travel around on a ship, nothing but water for miles."_

 _"Nothing but water for miles." Her mother scoffed. "You'd get just as restless as you do here. At least here you have got a family that loves you. And as long as this shop is open you'll always live comfortably like your papa and I did for forty years."_

 _"You were married for forty years?" Emma asked a little surprised. Where she came from people were lucky if they made it just a few years without getting divorced, let alone forty._

 _"Forty wonderful years," The woman replied with emphatic nod. "And it could've been more. But my husband, not to speak ill of the dead, but he was a stubborn man. He refused to ask for my hand before he had enough money saved up. I was from a wealthier family and he didn't have a penny to his name. The money didn't matter to me, but it was a big deal to him. So I waited patiently for ten years while he worked day and night in this here shop."_

 _"Was it hard waiting all that time?"_

 _"It was, but the things truly worth having never come easy. And you can't have true love and a good marriage without a little sacrifice and sacrifice we did. But we were rewarded with many happy years together; the happiest of all was about eight years into our marriage. I had begun to think I couldn't have any children when this strong-headed sweetheart arrived. Sure we had our quarrels now and then, but I wouldn't change anything that happened for the world."_

 _The old woman's reminiscing was done after that and the conversation turned back to the dresses. Emma paid them, and even though she didn't know a whole lot about this place and how much things costs, she had a feeling the woman gave her quite a discount._

 _"You know, most people think of my mother just rambles because she still misses my papa who only died six months ago. They think she doesn't know what she's talking about." Milah commented as they walked through the village._

 _Emma had taken her up on her offer to show her around. Milah took her to a shop that had soap and this realm's equivalent of shampoo and toothpaste and a few other lady things. And now they were walking to where she was supposed to meet up with Captain Jones. Apparently he had a friend here that might know how to get her back home._

 _"Really? I thought what she said made sense. I doubt I'll ever meet anyone and have what she had. But she's right and more people should think that way. There would be a lot less broken homes."_

 _"I know. I wish I had what they did too. Growing up I didn't realize how rare and special that was. And she's wiser than half the people in this village will ever be." Milah sighed. "Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing the matter with accepting your first proposal, Papa was the first to ask Mama. But don't settle because you're afraid no one else will ask, I was so desperate to have what they had, I forgot to wait for the right one."_

 _"Thanks for the advice, but I don't think I have to worry. A guy would have to be crazy to propose to someone as messed up as me."_

 _"I don't know about that. I think any man would be crazy not to. And it looks like you've already got a sailor with his eye on you." She told her with a knowing grin and nodded towards the window of a tavern._

 _Emma followed her direction and saw Captain Jones hastily turn around and pretend he hadn't been staring. She looked down and blushed while Milah laughed. She suddenly felt like she was in middle school talking to her best friend about a crush on the captain of the baseball team._

CS

"I don't mean to upset you, Emma, but I think we make quite the team." Hook's words echoed in her mind as he told her about the giant's treasure and led her to room that contained it all.

If only he knew. They had made quite the team and his crew had come to respect her almost as much as they did their captain. A handful of times they had been attacked by other pirates, and even a navy ship once. Each time she was right by his side with a sword in hand. And they never lost a battle. Once again she was frustrated by the fact that he knew but at the same time didn't. And it wouldn't be the last, but it happened again sooner than she'd hoped.

This time it was herself she was frustrated with for putting herself in such a position.

They were talking about Jack, whose corpse they'd just found, when Hook almost set off a trip wire.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" She called out as she grabbed him to keep him backing up further.

His arms wrapped around her and for a moment they just stood there holding each other. If Emma had her way she'd never move. It had been so long since she was last in his arms and it felt so good.

"It's about bloody time." Hook said and she was back in reality.

This isn't your Killian she reminded herself and quickly wiggled out of his grasp.

"It's a trip wire, quite a security system." She pointed out and immediately her walls were back up.

"That's a plausible excuse for grabbing me. But next time don't stand on ceremony." He told her as he fixed her hair and jacket collar.

The gesture was sort of a familiar one and she tried not to think about it as they continued their search for the compass. She had gotten so good at blocking out the memories over the years and now they were back full force and she couldn't think about anything else. But she needed to get him out of her head or else she'd never get home to Henry. Though, she was finding that exceedingly difficult to do with him right beside her. If only she couldn't get away for just a little while to clear her head.

"Give me a boost would you, love?"

"So I can't see what you're pocketing? No way. You give me a boost." She argued.

He already pocketed several things. While they definitely had value, she couldn't understand how he could be concerned with them when the compass was what they needed to get to Storybrooke.

"Try something new, darling. It's called trust." He said looking her straight in the eye.

Didn't he know how badly she wanted to be able to trust him? She wanted to open up to him just as she had in the past. But it was his fault that she couldn't anymore and she tried not to feel guilty for shutting him out.

"We do it side by side and fast." She decided. "Who knows how long before the…"

'Oh crap!' She thought to herself when they heard the giant up and about. Seconds later she could see him charging at them as the whole room shook. Emma didn't scare easily but she became panicked when Killian was buried under the rubble from the ceiling. But she didn't have time to be worried about him as the giant steadily came closer and closer. 'Come on, Emma, don't just stand there!' Her thoughts shouted at her. But the giant's hand swooped down and grabbed her before she could do anything.

Emma Swan, however, was not one to give up. She tried to convince him to let her go because of her son but he only squeezed harder. Her vision began to blur and she knew there wasn't much time left. Thankfully plan b worked and the giant dropped her when she bit him, probably more out of surprise than pain. Just like Hook's original plan, she ran like hell. Using Jack's sword she cut the trip wire and the giant was caught in his own cage.

"Okay stop!" The giant yelled when she jabbed the poisoned sword too close for comfort.

"See, I'm not the bad guy." He stated as she picked up the compass he'd slid under the cage.

She looked in his eyes and realized he was telling her the truth.

"Is this a bean? Can this make a portal?" She asked him.

"Not anymore." He answered. "I wear it as a reminded, a reminder that you're all killers."

"You're wrong."

And with that she walked away. But she didn't get far before the giant used his strength to get out the cage and send it flying. He reached down his hand and she thought it was to grab him again but instead he grabbed a piece of rock and to reveal and opening.

"Why?"

"Because you could have killed me, and you didn't." He replied.

She turned around and started to leave but then stopped and faced the giant again.

"Actually I get two favors."

"What?"

"Well, the way I see it, I could have killed you twice. The poison and when you were knocked out. I didn't."

"What do you want?"

She told him and he agreed. That was the easy part. The next part however would be one of the hardest things she'd ever do.

She helped pull Hook from the rubble and showed him the compass when he asked. But she quickly returned it to her pocket. It would defeat the purpose if the pirate somehow managed to get his hand on it.

"Come, let's go." Hook said as he held out his hand.

She held his hand and the moment she did she felt her resolve waiver. But once Emma made up her mind she had to see it through. With her other hand she grabbed the chain and closed the shackle around his wrist.

"What are you doing?" He asked as he stood up and tried to get closer to her but she moved back.

"I'm sorry, but I can't…"

"Emma, look at me." He pleaded and she did even though she knew it was a bad idea.

Hearing her name on his lips was already not helping the situation. Looking into his eyes was only making it worse.

"Have I told you a lie?"

'Yeah several' a sarcastic voice in her head thought. But she knew what he meant. Since climbing the beanstalk he'd been nothing but truthful.

"I brought you here, risked my own safety to help you. The compass is in your hand. Why do this to me now?"

"I can't take the chance that I'm wrong about you." She told him.

Right now, this was not Captain Hook standing in front of her, it was Killian. It was one thing to be taken from him against her will all those years ago. And it was another to be the one walking away from him. But she had to do it. He was getting too close, especially now that she saw the old Killian shining through. She had her walls for a reason and she couldn't let herself trust him, not yet. He could still double cross them and go back to Cora. And even if she took him with her to Storybrooke she'd only loose him again to Gold.

Leaving him behind would probably break her heart all over again. And maybe even his by the look on his face. But it was better than watching him die at Gold's hand. And a wise captain once told her that if a heart can be broken it means it still works. Maybe he'd get his memories back somehow or find another way to Storybrooke and they could be together then. But now wasn't the time.

"I'm sorry." She apologized again and started to walk away.

"You're sorry? You're sorry!" He yelled and she could tell he was hurt but what he must think of as betrayal. "I got you here! I got you the compass!"

"I got the compass." She corrected him.

"You're just gonna leave me here to die…"

"You are not gonna die!" She insisted. "I just need a head start that's all."

She took a step backwards when a thought came to her. Maybe she could give him something he needed as well. Maybe give him a way to find her again. At least it might shock him enough that she could get away. It worked with Henry and broke the curse, maybe it would work with him too. Or maybe she just couldn't lose him again without being selfish and sharing one kiss with him.

It was short. So short actually that she didn't even give him a chance to respond. And she didn't say it out loud like she did before she kissed Henry's forehead but she thought it to herself over and over during the kiss. The instant she her lips separated from his she turned on her heel and got away as quickly as she could. Hook shouting after her the entire time.

CS

"Stop!" Emma yelled as she jumped down from the beanstalk when she saw Mary Margaret and Mulan struggling on the ground.

"Emma!" Mary Margaret looked up and ran to her. "You okay?"

"Two earthquakes and a jump from a beanstalk, I think my brain's still rattling around a little."

"Where's Hook?" Aurora asked her.

"He's detained." She told them but she knew Mary Margaret would want more of an answer later. "Let's go, get your stuff. We've got ten hours before he follows us."

Mulan and Aurora followed her instructions, but Mary Margaret had a few things to say to her.

"You told her to cut it down?"

"Yes, I…"

"We go back together." She told her with no room for argument. "That is the only way. Do you understand?"

Emma felt like a little kid being reprimanded by her parents and for the second time she actually thought of Mary Margaret as her mother. All these years she wanted someone to care about her enough to scold her because that's what parents did. They wouldn't do that if they didn't love their kids, didn't want them to do better, to do what was right. And now she finally had that and she willing came when her mother opened her arms for a hug just like she had at the castle.

"Yeah," She whispered.

"Good," Her mother said and patted her back. "Let's go get that dust from Cora…"

"And then go home." She finished.

* * *

 **Surprise! Yes, Emma kissed Hook. But it didn't bring back his memories, that woukd just be too easy. Speaking of memories, I know there was a big time jump in the flashbacks but I want to give you the basis of their story (first kiss, first 'I love you', how Emma arrived back in the real world etc.) And then go back and fill in the blanks with some fluff moments which is why they'll be marked which month so you can know about when it happened during their year together. Anyway, with that out of the way I hope you liked the Emma/Milah friendship as well as the rest of the rest of the chapter. Next chapter will up next week and has a lot of mother-daughter moments for you. Thanks for reading and please review and tell me your thoughts!**


	4. Heart to Heart

"How are we supposed to find Mulan and the compass? I feel like we've been walking in circles." Emma asked a few days later.

They needed to get to Rumpelstiltskin's cell but Mulan had left them to free Aurora from Cora and took the compass with her.

"I know a thing or two about tracking, Emma. We'll find her." Mary Margaret assured her. "I'm actually glad we have this time just the two of us. There's been something I've been meaning to ask you without the others around."

"What's that?" She asked though she already knew.

"What happened between you and Hook when you went up the beanstalk?"

"Nothing, I just needed a head start." She repeated the same answer she'd given Hook.

"Okay, let me rephrase that. Why didn't you bring him back down?"

"He's a pirate and a villain. He could have run back to Cora as soon as his feet hit the ground." She tried to reason, but her lie detector was going off the charts.

"He was a pirate when you first knew him." Mary Margaret pointed out.

"That's because I could trust Killian. I don't know who this new Killian is and can't afford to trust him. Not with getting back to Henry on the line."

"But you wanted to though." She observed. "At some point you saw the old Killian in him, didn't you? And when you saw Killian you felt your walls come down. But you've been hurt and left alone too many times. So you left him. Not because you couldn't trust him, but because you couldn't trust yourself to keep your walls up around him to protect yourself."

"He's only going to Storybrooke to kill Gold, but Gold will be the one doing the killing. What's the point of letting Hook in when he's only going to die the second he sees him?" She snapped at her defensively.

"Hook might not remember you but maybe he doesn't to. Maybe that part of Killian you saw was him falling for you all over again. From what you told me, it doesn't sound like it took him long the first time. And maybe if he's in love with you his revenge won't matter to him anymore."

"That's a lot of maybes."

"That's a lot of hope." Mary Margaret corrected her. "You'll get your happy ending, Emma, and that includes your son and you true love."

"We are not true love." Emma stated firmly.

"Why do you think that?"

"Because…before I left him…I kissed him. I thought maybe true love's kiss would give him his memory back and he could find me again because we…"

"Always find each other." She finished knowingly.

"Yeah," Emma nodded. "But it didn't work. When I kissed Henty I felt something and there was a flash of light. There was none of that when I kissed Hook."

"Emma, true love's kiss is a two way street. I think deep down Hook loves you but he has to feel it. It didn't work for Charming and me when I didn't remember who he was."

"But you loved each other despite the curse." She said a little confused.

"I'm not talking about before that, before you were even born. King George threatened to kill Charming if I didn't reject him. I was heartbroken afterwards, so I took a potion to forget him. He kissed me but it didn't do anything. Later he stopped me from killing Regina by taking the arrow I had aimed at her. He said he'd rather die than let me fill my heart with darkness. I'd never had anyone willing to do that for me before, and I guess I fell in love with him all over again. I kissed him and I remembered."

"So I have to make him love me again? Great, I don't even know how I did it the first time." She said sarcastically. "And that was before I had Henry."

"You don't have to do anything, Emma. Just be yourself." Mary Margaret told her.

CS

 _"Hello, love," Captain Jones as she made her way to the table his was sitting at. "Did you get everything you need?"_

 _"Yes, the dresses should be ready by the time we need to set sail again. And the shopkeeper's daughter, Milah, showed me around the village. I got some basic toiletries and a few other things." She replied as she sat across from him._

 _"Basic what?" He asked and gave her a confused look._

 _Emma couldn't hide her smile. This wasn't the first time she had mentioned something from her world that had the captain puzzled._

 _"Things you keep in your bathroom, like things for washing your hair, cleaning your teeth, and other things a lady likes to have." She explained._

 _"Ah, I see." He nodded, taking in the new information. "And the bathroom, that's the room with the water that magically comes out with just a turn of a knob and the rain that falls already hot instead of pouring buckets into a tub. Yes?"_

 _"That pretty much sums it up, but there's nothing magical about it. I do live in the Land Without Magic after all." She said and both of them shared a little laugh. "Speaking of my land, did your friend tell you anything that could help us?"_

 _"Actually, I haven't spoken to him yet. He's the co-owner of this fine establishment. I'm just waiting for him to finish bossing everyone around in the kitchen." He told me. "Oh look, there comes his partner now. Lumière!"_

 _"Oh, Capitaine! What a pleasure to have you be our guest tonight." A skinny man with a French accent greeted them as he came over._

 _"It's always a pleasure to be here, mate. But alas we're here on business. Any idea when Cogsworth with be available for a private chat?"_

 _"You may see him right now. I'll go get him for you and tell him to meet you upstairs as usual." Lumière told them._

 _Captain Jones stood up and offered her his arm which she hesitantly took. She loved how gentlemanly he was but again she had to remind herself not to get to close. He led her upstairs and entered the second door on the left. They didn't wait long before a man entered that she assumed was Cogsworth._

 _"Captain Jones, good to see you again, it's been too long. What is it you are looking for this time?"_

 _"Aye, it has, Cogsworth." Jones nodded and they shook hands. "We're looking for a way to get to the Land Without Magic and possibly a future time in that land."_

 _"Transport between realms I might be able to help you with. Time travel on the other hand, no one even knows if that's possible. But if it was you'd need someone with magic. I can find you any object from pocket watches, candelabras, fine jewels, and a few magical things. But I cannot do magic. " Cogsworth informed them._

 _"Well, figuring out how to get to a different realm would at least be a start." Jones told him and the two began to discuss the different possibilities._

 _Magic beans, a wardrobe that was part of a legend not set to come true for two hundred years. A special sail that would allow the Jolly to fly but Jones admitted to having one once and burning it. And find someone with magic and a magic hat to create a portal. This wasn't going to be easy._

 _"Thank you for all your help, Cogsworth." Jones thanked him when they'd finished._

 _"I only wish I could do more, my friend." Cogsworth said patting him on the back as he showed them out._

 _"So, now what?" She asked._

 _"We keep searching." He replied then stopped on the second to last stair. "Would you mind waiting here for a moment, Swan? It seems I left something in the study."_

 _She had told him her name was Emma one night when she couldn't sleep. They were up on deck looking at the stars. When he opened up about his brother teaching him to read them when he was young and also how his brother died, she opened up a little as well and told him her name. But he still chose to call her Swan most of the time and that's when she decided she couldn't get any closer to him._

 _Without waiting for her response he dashed back up the stairs and she heard the door lock behind him. Why lock the door to grab something real quick? Her curiosity got the better and she ended up eavesdropping with her ear to the door._

 _"I need your help with something else, Cogsworth." Jones stated. "Emma is a bit discouraged about all this. I want to get her something to cheer her up."_

 _"You have quite the reputation with women, why don't you do what you usually do?" Cogsworth suggested and she had a pretty good guess what he was implying._

 _"This is different, mate. I care about her more that." Jones replied and she didn't know whether to be relieved or scared. No one had ever cared about her before at all._

 _"My goodness, I never thought I'd see the day when the fierce Captain Jones felt such a way about a woman." Cogsworth said with some surprise. "Well, there's the usual; flowers, chocolates, promises you don't intend to keep."_

 _"I'm a man of my word, mate. And it's especially bad form to lie to a beautiful lass." Jones told him._

 _"She is quite attractive. I can see how you easily fell for her." Cogsworth agreed._

 _"Well, I can't exactly deny that but it's not her looks that I love, it's who she is. I've never met anyone that even compares to how amazing she is. And she's not a fake like a lot of other women."_

 _"I'm happy for you, Jones. But Lumière is the romance expert. But if you want my advice, give her something that has meaning."_

 _"You're right, I should have asked Lumière." Jones grumbled. "Well, I don't want to keep her waiting. Thanks mate."_

 _"Anytime," Cogsworth replied and Emma took that as her signal to get away from the door as fast as possible._

CS

"How did you escape?" Emma asked Aurora who hadn't needed a rescue after all.

"It was Hook, he let me go."

"Why?" She demanded.

Had she been wrong about him after all? She wanted to believe that he had let Aurora go to do the right thing. But would Cora just allow something like this to happen? She couldn't help but think that this was too easy and something else was going on.

"Because of you." Aurora answered. "He said he wanted to prove to you that you should have trusted him. That if you had trusted him, you could have defeated Cora together…He only wants to help. I think he may care for you."

She knew without looking that Mary Margaret was probably giving her a look that said 'I told you so'. But something didn't seem right again. Maybe Aurora was quoting him wrong, but Killian would never push her to trust him like that. Even when she left him on the beanstalk he didn't push her.

"Did you find a way to stop Cora?" She asked them changing the subject.

"Yes, Rumpelstiltskin's cell." Emma answered her.

"Great, lead the way." Aurora nodded and took up the rear when they began walking.

CS

"Aurora what are you doing!" Emma yelled at her when she caused the bars of Gold's cell to close, trapping them in.

"Helping me." Cora was the one to answer.

She was right, Cora hadn't let Aurora escape. It was a trap to get the compass after all. And no sooner did she think that the compass was magically taken out of her hand and placed in Cora's. Who then thanked Aurora for helping and revealed that she had her heart when they began to question how Aurora could do such a thing to them.

"Actually, I did. It was a gift." Hook said when she accused Cora and it was the first time she realized he was there.

She looked at him with a blank expression. What had happened to him? Lying to her and working with Cora was one thing. But this? Was everything that happened on the beanstalk just an act that she'd almost entirely fallen for?

"Hook, wait." She called after him when he and Cora began to leave. "Please, don't do this. My son is in Storybrooke. He needs me."

She didn't know if he'd listen to her or not, especially after what she did to him. But she just had to try, for Henry, and maybe for herself too. Without realizing it, she had begun to hope that Mary Margaret was right, that maybe Hook was falling for her and she could use that to her advantage.

"Perhaps you should have considered that before you left me on that beanstalk."

"You would have done the same." She said trying to believe it herself.

She knew Killian of the past never would have. But this Killian obviously had no qualms about taking a heart so it was possible to believe he could have left her.

He walked closer to her and whispered, "Actually no."

"Do you know what this is, Emma?" He asked and held up a small object on a chain.

"The bean that the giant kept." She answered as she tried to grab it from him several times.

"Yes indeed." He stated and then went on about pirate's keeping souvenirs. "This is a symbol, something that was once magically, full of hope and possibilities. Now look at it, dried up, dead, useless. Much like you. The time for making deals is done. Just as I am done…with you."

And with that he walked away and followed Cora. Just when she was beginning to think she was wrong to leave him she had more proof than ever that she did the right thing. Aurora's wasn't the only heart he taken. Hers was taken as well and broken it just like everyone else she'd ever loved. This was why she'd left him first before he could leave her. It wasn't easy but she could handle the lack of memories, maybe make him love her again like Mary Margaret had suggested. But to watch him leave was more than she could handle.

Emma however wasn't the type to sit and have a pity party so she took her hurt and other emotions out on the bars of the cell by whacking at them with her sword.

"You're not going to break it down, Emma. It was enchanted to hold Rumpelstiltskin. We don't have a chance." Mary Margaret told her after a while.

She finally sat down and gave up trying to get out. Her mother was right; they weren't getting out of this cell. She'd failed them. They wouldn't be here if it weren't for her. Aurora and Mulan would be safe and both would have their hearts. And Mary Margaret would be in Storybrooke with David and Henry.

"We're going to win this fight you know." Mary Margaret told her as she sat down beside her. "Good always defeats evil."

"You sound like Henry. I think the family optimism skipped a generation." Emma mumbled.

"Emma, you should know more than anybody. You broke the curse." She pointed out.

"What have I done since then?" Emma asked her and listed all the things that had gone wrong. "The only reason I broke the curse was because Gold wanted me to. Everything I've ever done, he had it all mapped out before I was even born. I'm not powerful. I'm a name on a piece of paper, a pawn. And it's exactly why we're in here and Cora's on her way to Storybrooke."

"No, you are much more than that. Forget Gold and whatever plans he made. Not just anybody could break the curse, but you did. You saved your son's life. And I know you're still taking it in, but you brought you're family back together and you'll never be alone again. I won't let you go again, not for anything." Mary Margaret told her and took the scroll out of her hand and they shared another hug.

"And this is not your fault." She said when they pulled away.

"Isn't it? If I had trusted Hook, if I hadn't been afraid, Aurora would have her heart and we'd be back in Storybrooke not Cora."

"You're afraid because you've been hurt. No one can blame you for that, especially not me because I know you have a lot of hurt from thinking you were abandoned. And I'm sorry for that." She apologized. "And yes, Hook might have helped if you hadn't left him. But we are going to get out of here and without the help of anyone."

"How, by staring at that scroll? It's not like it's gonna magically open the door for us." Emma didn't want to ruin the moment by being sarcastic but she couldn't help it.

"Yes, it is." She said and stood in front of the bars.

Emma made another sarcastic comment when Mary Margaret mentioned Cora's spell book. But Mary Margaret ignored her and proceeded with what she was doing. "Watch," She told her before blowing on the scroll.

"Whoa!" Emma gasped as she too stood up as the words floated off the page. "Squid ink, Gold wrote the scroll in squid ink!" And before her very eyes the bars dissolved as soon as the ink touched them.

"Told ya." Mary Margaret said looking at her. "Good always wins."

* * *

 **Hey everyone, hope you enjoyed this chapter and the appearance of Lumière and Cogsworth. Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie so I wanted to throw them in there. Plus I needed someone that wasn't alive in present time because that would mess up the timeline. Lol I know I'm doing that already but for Captain Swan exceptions can be made. Am I right? Anyway once again I hope you enjoyed, leave a review if you did! :-) And I'll see you guys again later this week for the showdown at the Lake as well as past Killian first saying "I love you"!**


	5. Home

They left Rumpelstiltskin's cell and quickly made their way to Lake Nostos. They were finally headed home but there was one more obstacle in the way. They needed to get through the portal before Hook and Cora did. Thankfully Mary Margaret was practically the best in the Enchanted Forest with a bow and arrow and shot the compass out of Cora and Hook's grasp just before they jumped.

"The compass, get it." Mary Margaret told Emma, who didn't have to be told twice.

Mulan and Mary Margaret fought off Cora while Emma was left to fight Hook for the compass. It had been nearly a decade since she'd last picked up a sword against him. But it was always for training or to see who the better swordsman was, never as a serious fight. And she had gone years without touching a sword while he had had centuries to perfect his skill. She didn't know if she could actually beat him but she'd sure as hell try.

And try she did even after he quickly forced the sword out of her hand. She attempted to charge at him but he saw it coming and flipped her over. She crawled for her sword but he pulled her back. Luckily he was distracted long enough when he caught the pouch with Aurora's heart for her to reclaim her sword.

"I had no idea you had such a soft side." Emma told him. After learning he was the one to take Aurora's heart in the first place she had definitely not expected him to return it to Mulan.

"I don't, I just like a fair fight." He replied and not a second later she was doing her best to deflect his sword.

"Good form," He told her. "But not good enough."

And once again she was on her back. But she still had some luck on her side. She had fallen right on top of the compass which she dug out of the sand while Hook was busy making his innuendos. Which she couldn't believe he was making at a time like this just like the jokes he'd made earlier about his hand. She guessed some things just never changed.

"You might want to quit." He advised her.

"Why would I do that….when I'm winning?" She asked and then showed him the compass.

The look of surprise on his face was pretty comical and she took advantage of his shock. She elbowed him in the chest as well as kicked him in the gut to successfully get out from under him. Again he went to fight her with his sword but she knew she wouldn't win this way. Instead she punched him in the jaw when he maneuvered their swords just so. "Thanks!" And he fell to the ground unconscious and she couldn't help but feel proud of herself.

"Now let's go home!" She yelled ready to do so now more than ever.

But they still had Cora to deal with. Hook could have easily killed her during their fight but he hadn't. Cora on the other hand wouldn't hesitate a second to crush one of their hearts, which she almost did.

"Oh you foolish girl, don't you know?" Cora asked as though she was speaking to a child when Emma stepped in between her and Mary Margaret. "Love is weakness."

And with that she tried to pull her hand out of Emma's chest along with her heart. But she couldn't do it no matter how many times she tried. At first Emma was confused by what was happening but then it dawned on her.

"No, it strength." Emma told her and a flash came out of nowhere pushing Cora away.

"What was that?" Emma asked Mary Margaret as she breathed deeply, trying not to panic because of what just happened.

"That is a great subject for discussion…when we get home." Mary Margaret replied, her voice bursting with excitement at the end.

Finally there was nothing stopping them from getting to Henry and David. Together the two ran to the edge of the lake and jumped through the portal together. It brought them to the well in the woods and the sight before her when she climbed out did not disappoint.

"Henry!" She cried when she saw him and he ran into her open arms.

"I missed you." She said as she hugged him tighter.

"I missed you too."

"I missed you so much." She repeated and this time the hug got tighter as it became a group hug with Mary Margaret joining in.

"What's going on? What happened?" Mary Margaret wondered as they slowly broke apart but Emma kept her arms around her son.

"She saved you, she saved both of us." Henry told them.

"Thank you," Emma whispered to Regina.

"You're welcome." The once evil queen replied. Maybe Henry was right and there was some good in her after all.

Ruby came up to them and embraced Mary Margaret and the two of them left in search of David. And Emma and Henry walked closer to Regina.

"Your mom, she's uh…she's a piece of work. You know." Emma told her, trying to catch her breath from all the excitement.

"Indeed I do." Regina nodded then said with a smile, "Welcome back."

She knew that probably wasn't easy for her but she was glad for Henry's sake that Regina was willing to make this work. And she'd always be grateful for whatever she did to help get her back to her, their, son.

"Thanks," Emma whispered again and leaned her head atop of Henry's. It was good to be home.

CS

"So, did you meet anybody else cool in the Enchanted Forest?" Henry asked the next day during late lunch.

Ever since Emma and Mary Margaret got back he had endless questions. She had already told him about Mulan, Aurora, and Cora but not Hook. But Emma was grateful he was doing most of the talking because she was still in shock from what she'd seen when she got back from shopping earlier. She could hardly look either of her parents in the eye, let alone carry on a normal conversation with them. And she was certain she could never eat a taco again after this.

"Yeah, kid, I outsmarted a giant." She told him. "Twice actually."

"Really?" He asked with a wide grin and she nodded. "How'd you do that?"

"The first time I threw some knockout powder in his face from Mulan. And the second time I caught him with his own booby trap."

"And don't forget that we met Captain Hook." Mary Margaret added and for the first time Emma looked her in the eye so she could glare at her. "You could say she outsmarted him twice too."

There was a reason she hadn't told Henry. Her history with him was one thing and she definitely didn't want to explain that to her son and father. If David had punched Whale for being with Mary Margaret during the curse he would be right there with Rumpelstiltskin when it came to wanting Killian dead. Another reason was she hadn't said anything was she didn't want to taint her world's version of Captain Hook. Henry loved the story almost as much as she had when she was growing up and she didn't have the heart to tell him what kind of man he really was. Most people she'd found out were nothing like their story but Hook was something else altogether.

"I wouldn't quite say that. The giant was the one that kept him on the beanstalk and I'm pretty certain he let me win the sword fight at the lake." Emma corrected her.

She hoped if she could make it sound unexciting Henry would move on to the next question and the subject of Hook could be dropped. It was wishful thinking anyway.

"He might have thrown the fight but you still knocked him out with one punch." Mary Margaret once again not so helpfully added.

"Hook was with you on the beanstalk? And you punched him? Why didn't you mention that before? He's one of the coolest villains ever."

"I know, kid. I like his story too, but he's still a villain." She said trying to let him down easy.

"Yeah, but he helped you defeat the giant and you said he let you win so you and Grandma could get home. He can't be all bad. My mom was a villain but now she's trying to do better. Maybe he's the same." Henry tried to convince her and she had to admit he was doing a pretty good job.

"You might be right kid." She smiled at him even though she didn't exactly believe. But Henry was happy with her answer and that's what mattered.

"So, which was more fun? Taking down the giant or knocking out Captain Hook?" Henry asked her with an excited grin.

Fun wasn't a word she'd use to describe either situation but at least she and Killian were on the same side fighting the giant and they always made quite the team. So that's what she told him and luckily the subject finally changed after that as Henry started telling them how David got him a wooden sword.

CS

"Emma, I didn't want to say this with Henry around. But what's the real reason you didn't mention Hook sooner?" David asked her after Henry had gone to bed when they got back from the celebration at Granny's. "He didn't hurt either one of you did he?"

"No!" Emma yelled quickly in Hook's defense. "He wouldn't do that."

"Emma, he's a pirate. I beg to differ. I never encountered him personally but I know many that have. He is as ruthless as they come and wouldn't hesitate to get rid of anything or anyone that got in the way of his revenge." David said to her. "If he somehow finds another way to Storybrooke and you see him call me. I don't want you getting hurt by taking him on yourself."

"I know who he is, David. But I can handle him. I chained him up on the beanstalk and punched his lights out at the lake after all."

"But you said yourself he threw that fight. And if he comes here where Rumpelstiltskin is within his grasp he might not be so laid back with his sword skills." He pointed out and she had to admit he was right, if it was anyone else they were talking about. But Emma was confident that Hook would never under any circumstances hurt her.

"David, even if Hook did get here which is very unlikely, he won't hurt Emma. Gold and the rest of the town you might have to worry about but not Emma." Mary Margaret told him.

"What makes you say that?" He asked slowly. "Do you know something I don't?"

"Emma and Hook were in love with each other before he was Hook." Mary Margaret blurted out.

The room was filled with an awkward silence and David's face slowly got redder and redder.

"You what?" He questioned her quietly but she could still hear the anger even though he wasn't yelling.

"Okay, I know you missed out on getting to do the whole over-protective-dad-thing. But I'm almost thirty for crying out loud not a sixteen year old going to her first dance. And what Killian and I had was before you were even born technically." Emma stated and she would have raised her voice if Henry wasn't asleep.

"David, I know you're not happy about this and I wouldn't be either. I've heard the same stories about Hook that you have. But he wasn't that person back then. A pirate yes, but still a man with honor and I believe that he truly loved our daughter."

"If that's the case then why is he so determined to kill Gold to avenge his lover? And why'd you leave him on the beanstalk if you love him?"

"Because, he doesn't remember me, that he loves me. He doesn't even remember how I came through some time portal let alone the first time he told me he loved me." She sighed.

CS

Month 2

 _"Come in." Emma answered when a knocked sounded at her door._

 _"Good evening, lass." Captain Jones greeted her as he walked into her room._

 _Or technically it was his room, formerly. The first few nights she spent on board he'd let her sleep in the captain's quarters while he stayed with the crew. He insisted it stay that way but he was the captain and he'd already done so much for her that she couldn't take his bed too. So they comprised. He returned to his rightful room and she took his old lieutenant's cabin that was being used for storage since he'd become captain._

 _"Good evening, Captain." She replied and set down the book she'd been reading._

 _"Are you feeling alright? You didn't come down to the galley for the evening meal. I know the rations on the ship aren't quite a banquet at the palace but…"_

 _"I'm not avoiding the food." She laughed. "And I assure you, I feel fine."_

 _"So it's me you're avoiding then." He said as a statement not a question._

 _She wanted to deny it but she knew he'd see right through the lie. It had been four days since they'd left port and she had been doing her best to avoid him. Actually it had started when she'd overheard his conversation with Cogsworth a few days before that._

 _All her life she wanted a family or just someone to care about her. But she never thought a guy would fall in love with her. And now she was scared out of her mind. What scared her even more was the fact that she had feelings for him too. She wouldn't say it was love yet but there was definitely something there. She wanted to give them a chance, but the same argument kept going through her mind. Even though she was growing accustomed to this realm she didn't belong here. She had to go back to her world sooner or later._

 _And as much as she wanted to, she couldn't run away from the issue. She couldn't escape a ship and she'd be lost in this world without him. So she avoided him and her feelings as best she could. But she quickly discovered the saying 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' was true. The more she managed to avoid him the more she thought about him. And she was secretly glad that he had sought her out even though she'd never say it._

 _"And don't bother lying to me, Emma. I may not have your superpower but I can still read you like a book, love."_

 _"I heard what you said to Cogsworth." She admitted quietly knowing he would understand what she was talking about._

 _"And that scares you doesn't it." He once again said knowingly instead of a question. "And I believe I know why it scares you as well. I don't mean to push you, love, and it's alright if you don't say it back. But everything you overheard was true. I know you've been left by people that should have loved you before. But I won't leave you, Emma. And when we find a way to get you home, I'll follow you to the end of the world, or time."_

 _"Killian, I…you…you don't know what you're saying." She stuttered trying her hardest not to get her hopes up that he really did mean it._

 _"I know exactly what I'm saying. I love you, Emma Swan." He said and wiped away a tear she hadn't realized she'd shed with his left hand and with his right hand brought hers up to his lips and kissed it._

 _"But you belong here with your crew, your ship, your home. And here you're a feared and respected pirate. That won't get you anything in my world except a ticket to jail." She tried to come up with arguments she knew were pointless._

 _"My home is with you, Emma. Aye, there are ways to take the Jolly with us but your smile, your laugh, the gleam in your eye. Those are the only things I'll ever need. And my crew is of no concern; there are plenty of other pirates out there looking for good men. As for being a pirate, I'd give it all up in a second to be with you."_

 _The hand he'd used to wipe away her tears remained on her cheek, softly caressing it. He leaned in slowly, giving her the option to pull away. But she decided to forget her fears, at least for right now, and met him halfway. She'd been lying if she said she hadn't thought about this once or twice, or several times. But nothing she had imagined could slightly compare to the real thing. He was gentle yet passionate and she couldn't believe she was lucky enough to have this dashing rapscallion pirate be her first kiss._

 _It was more than she deserved and he didn't deserve a broken teenager that knew nothing of love. But she knew she couldn't avoid him anymore, not after getting a taste of what love really was. And she was too selfish to let him go like she knew she should. This wouldn't last, nothing ever did for her, and she knew it would break her heart when it ended. But she was willing to take that chance if it meant she could feel loved even for just a little while._

* * *

 **"I love you" and another kiss. Hope you all enjoyed that and there will be more to come. At least in the flashbacks, it's gonna be a little bit before Emma and Hook get there in present time. But it won't be as much of a wait as in the show. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve that you should enjoy and I hope you stick around to see them. With that being said thank you to everyone reading this story and I'd love to hear from you! And shout-out to** EmilyBea **for all your reviews and support! So see you next Monday for the next chapter and don't forget to review :)**


	6. Family

Emma had been hoping that things would be peaceful in Storybrooke now that the curse was broken and she had Henry with her. But that wasn't the case. First there was the fight with Regina about Henry. Then two days later Archie, or Jiminy Cricket, was found dead. And now Emma had to tell her son that his other mother was the one who did it.

"Henry's bus is gonna be here any minute." Emma said as she paced the sidewalk.

"You can do this." Mary Margaret told her.

She was more grateful than she'd ever let on that her parents were there to support her. At first she felt she didn't really need them but more and more she was realizing that she did even if she couldn't say it yet. But as a parent herself she knew that they loved her regardless and somehow knew how she felt without it being said aloud. But old habits also die hard.

"Tell my son that someone he loved was killed by someone else that he cares about? I don't think I can do this." She snapped. "How can I be a parent if I never was one?"

"I know." David replied. "I've been asking myself the same question."

"Oh no…it's different. It's…I understand now and you don't have to…"

"No, it isn't." Mary Margaret spoke up in agreement with David. "We can figure it out and so can you."

"You don't know what I was before Storybrooke. And trust me, I was not parent material." She tried to tell them.

"The Emma I know was great with Henry." David tried to reassure her. "Things are different now for all of us, Emma. But we're a family and we can do this together. We don't have to go through any of it alone. You don't have to go through this alone."

Emma heard the school bus stop behind them and she gave them both a look. She hoped they could see in her eyes what she wanted to tell them, but couldn't. Not now anyway. Now she needed to be a parent to Henry and the parent daughter moment would have to wait.

CS

Henry didn't take the news well and she couldn't blame him. Death was never easy to deal with, especially for a kid. And it didn't help his hope that Regina would change was crushed too. Emma had actually considered letting him spend more time with her and tried giving her the benefit of the doubt when Archie had first been found. But Regina had made this mess all on her own and she was only sorry that Henry got hurt in the process.

Luckily though, Mary Margaret and David were doing a great job of trying to keep his spirits up while Emma was busy being the town sheriff. He really seemed to open up to David and she was glad that he could have a decent male role model in his life since his father wasn't. And today she had a special surprise with her when she arrived home that would hopefully cheer him up.

"How did he get in here?" She heard Mary Margaret ask when Pongo came bursting through the door of the loft ahead of her.

"I brought him." She answered finally catching up and explained how she talked to Marco.

She didn't know if it was good or bad that talking about a conversation with Geppetto seemed almost normal. It was just another sign she guessed that living in Storybrooke with fairytale characters was where she belonged.

By the look on her face Mary Margaret seemed to think it was a sweet gesture. But then she looked down and saw the dirt he'd just dragged in and her grin fell. Emma caught this and suggested that Henry take Pongo out so she could talk to her parents without him overhearing.

"Okay look, I know there's a lot to work out logistically but…" Emma began.

"No, no, no, I think giving Pongo to Henry is a great idea." Mary Margaret interrupted and tried to give a reassuring smile. "It's just four people and a Dalmatian in this loft. Things may get a little…:

"Cramped." She finished for her. "I know. We'll get creative."

"Or we could get our own place." Mary Margaret suggested.

"You want to move out!?" Both she and David questioned her with surprise.

"Whoa, it was just a suggestion." She said raising her hands in surrender.

"After twenty-eight years, isn't this what we've all been waiting for? To live under the same roof?" Emma asked her.

"Yes…I just imagined a bigger roof…with turrets." She replied sheepishly and Emma let out a relieved little laugh.

She was trying to do better with accepting her family but the old insecurities still popped up.

"Being here in Storybrooke, we have a chance at a fresh start. Let's take it." Mary Margaret said hopefully and Emma and David nodded in agreement and they ended up in a family hug.

"So, speaking of fresh starts, there's something I want to tell you guys." Emma said when they separated from the hug. "You already know this and I know how you feel. But for twenty-eight years I felt abandoned by my parents. And at first I couldn't accept that Snow White and Prince Charming gave me up to save everyone and ensure that their family would finally be together in the future. But after everything that happened with Cora and now with Archie and being a mom to Henry. I realize that I don't want to dwell on what happened in the past. And it's gonna take some time to let you guys totally in and be my parents but I want to try."

"You take all the time you need." David told her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Your father's right, Emma, and I'm just so glad to hear you say that." Mary Margaret smiled and they shared another group hug.

CS

Month 4

 _"So, tell me, Emma. Why are you and Killian not together?" Milah asked her as they walked through the village together. It had been two months since she last docked here and they were eager to spend time together. "I know he's a pirate and you have no family so traditional courtship is out. But Killian loves you, isn't that all that matters."_

 _"That's just it. I have no one, I am no one. He deserves someone better than a messed up girl that nobody wants. I don't even belong in this world." Emma sighed._

 _Killian and Milah were the only two people that knew her story and she was glad she could be open with them. But right now she didn't exactly want to talk about it and hoped Milah would drop the subject. But Milah was just about as stubborn as she was though and was determined to make Emma see her way._

 _"First of all, I never want to hear you say that you are a no one." Milah said in a scolding tone that she'd heard her use on her son Bae a few times. "You are one of the greatest people I know. And everyone has their issues, Emma. The world would be pretty dull if everyone in it had perfect lives." Milah pointed out._

 _"I'm not asking for a perfect life. I can deal with whatever gets thrown at me." She stated. "But I don't want to drag him down with me."_

 _"Emma, love isn't being blind to imperfection or even accepting it. It's choosing to be with them despite it. Let him make that choice. And the best way to get past something is to work through it together. You become stronger and it only makes you love the other person more." She told Emma. "And I think I speak for Killian also when I say that you have us. Let us be your family."_

 _"Milah, you have Rumpelstiltskin, Bae, and your mother. You don't need me as anything more than a friend." Emma told her as her walls came up, scared by how much Milah seemed to care about her._

 _"It's too late for running away, Emma. You've already charmed your way into my heart, I see you as a sister. And if his face is any indication, I think it's fair to say you've worked you way into Killian's heart as well and that he sees you as something closer than a sister." Milah hinted with a knowing grin. "Now, let me ask again. Why aren't you and Killian together?"_

 _"It's not that I don't want to be." She admitted. "I just, so many times in the past I let myself hope that a family would finally accept me and give me the home I wanted. But I was always let down and I can't risk again. I've never wanted anything as much as I want this and if it gets taken away I…"_

 _"Emma, I know how scary it can be. But you have to trust us, trust Killian. And yes, he will let you down sometimes, but he'll never leave you. He turned pirate because of how much he loved his brother. Can you imagine what he'd do because of his love for you if anything ever happened to you?" Milah asked her. "I know it's hard but dwelling on the past isn't worth it. If I did do you think I'd be here? No, I'd probably be sitting in a tavern drinking away my problems. And you can keep your walls up all you like, but you won't be happy that way either."_

 _Emma appreciated Milah's words. She wasn't speaking as one that tried to understand but never could. Emma knew her marriage with Rumpelstiltskin wasn't the happily-ever-after-kind and the advice she gave was to prevent her from making a similar mistake._

 _"You're right. Dwelling on the past and keeping everyone out doesn't make me happy. But I don't think I can let go of it just like that."_

 _"Of course not, the important thing is that you try. And remember what I said about love? The best way is to do things together and family always sticks together. You have me and whether you give him a chance or not, you have Killian too. But I'd give him that chance if I were you. I don't think you'll regret it and both of you could use someone to love and be loved by."_

CS

"You plotting your escape from Shawshank kid?" Emma walked over to him a little while later to see what he was drawing.

Her parents had left for Granny's so it was just the two of them in the loft. And since they left Henry had been spending most of his time at the table with a pad of paper.

"No, they're blueprints. I had some ideas for what to do if David and Mary Margaret move out. Look," He explained and then held up the drawing pad for her to see.

The first thing that caught her eye was that he'd turned Mary Margaret's room into an armory.

"She's not gonna hurt you." She assured him and placed her hand on his shoulder when he told her why he wanted one. "I'm not gonna let her."

"She hurt Archie." He argued. "What if she wants to take me back?"

"That's not gonna happen." She stated and just as she did there was a knock on the door and Pongo started whining for the door to be opened.

Emma got up and opened the door. When she saw who was on the other side she started to wonder if her eyes were playing tricks on her. "Archie?"

"Hi," He said walking into the loft and she immediately asked what happened. "It was Cora. She kidnapped me."

Before she could ask another question Henry came around the table and gave Archie a big hug.

"It's alright. I'm fine, I'm fine." Archie assured him and she could see the relief on Henry's face.

She was glad Archie was alright, especially for Henry's sake. A kid didn't deserve to lose someone like Archie in their life. And if Cora was behind it all that meant Regina was innocent and Henry might be able to have both of his moms in his life.

"Henry, we were wrong. Regina didn't do it." She told him.

"I knew it!" He replied with excitement in his voice. "But maybe we should let her know."

"Yeah, but something tells me, either way we're gonna pay the price." She mumbled.

They knew the truth now but the damage had already been done. They had wrongfully accused Regina and she had yelled in her face that Henry wasn't her son. She had a feeling that those two things wouldn't be easily forgiven.

She also had a pretty good feeling that Cora hadn't made her way to Storybrooke alone. And Archie confirmed her theory when she asked him that Cora had kept him tied up on the Jolly Roger. He also told her that Hook had asked him about the Dark One's dagger and his weakness and he told him it was Belle.

"I should call David. Let him know that you're alive and to keep an eye on Belle incase Hook goes after her to get to Gold." She thought aloud as she went to grab her phone.

Before she could tap David's contact he ended up calling her.

"David, I was just about to call you. We were wrong about Regina. She…"

 _"Regina isn't our concern right now, Emma. I need you to get to the town line as quick as you can. There's been a car accident and Belle fell over the town line."_ David cut her off.

"I'm on my way." She said and hung up. "Archie, can you stay here with Henry for a little while? Something happened at the town line."

"Of course," Archie nodded.

"Thanks," She told him then turned to Henry and gave him a hug. "Be good, kid, and I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Go help David, I'll be fine here." Henry told her and they said goodbye one more time before she finally grabbed her jacket and went out the door.

CS

David had told her that there was a car accident so she expected to find a car on the side of the road with an unconscious driver. What she didn't expect was to find Hook lying on the ground, apparently hit by the car.

"Hey, beautiful," He greeted her when she stood next to him and she could hear the pain in his voice.

"And here I didn't think you…" He began to say but stopped because of the pain when she touched his ribs.

"You're ribs are broken." She told him and tried not to show how worried she was by how bad he was hurt.

"That must be why it hurts when I laugh." He quipped and she wanted to roll her eyes. First 'hey beautiful' and now this? Did he never stop?

Apparently he didn't and decided to make matters worse by trying to sit up as he got Gold's attention.

"Just like Milah, Crocodile…when you took her from me." Hook said about half way to standing up.

But he wasn't up for long before Gold kicked him back down.

"Gold, are you insane!?" She shouted at him.

"Yes, I am." He stated as he used his cane to try and choke Hook.

Not even with David helping could she get Gold off him. But then David mentioned Belle and Gold finally stopped. And both he and Killian were quickly forgotten about when the ambulance arrived and they realized the driver wasn't from Storybrooke which meant they had another big problem on their hands.

And if things were chaotic at the town line, they became even more so when everyone arrived at the hospital. Leroy wanted to know what was going on, Gold wanted to see Belle, and Belle looked absolutely frightened. But amidst all that Emma made sure that Killian was taken somewhere where Gold couldn't get to him. He was preoccupied for now with his concern for Belle but she had a feeling it wouldn't be long before he tried going after him again.

While everyone sat in the waiting room Emma decided that enough was enough. They had enough problems with Belle losing her memories, Cora being in Storybrooke doing who knows what, and the fact that outsiders could come to town. She didn't need Hook and Gold's feud added to the mix.

Besides, it was one thing to know that Hook would probably get himself killed going after Gold, but it was another to actually see him hurt. Even after a rough fight in a tavern against two other men, Killian beating them of course, she had never seen him look as bad as he did now. And she could only imagine how confused he must be in this world, especially after getting hit by a car. He had been there for her and she felt the need to be there for him now that he was in her land. Even if being near him when he didn't remember was still hard, but it was easier than seeing him like this. And adjusting to this world would be easier without Gold and Hook at each other's throats. So she made up her mind that she would do whatever it took to get Hook to stop as soon as she could speak with him.

* * *

 **First thank you guys for reading this chapter. I know it's a bit of a cliffhanger in a way but if you've seen the show then you know that Hook is fine. But there will be a lot more to next chapter than Emma picking him as "dead guy of the year" and Hook making his classics innuendos. Emma is gonna have quite the talk with him. What do you think she'll say and will it be enough for him to let go of his revenge or will she fail to convince him? Please review and let me know your thoughts on this and if there's anything you want to see in a flashback. Thanks again and see you later this week for the next chapter!**


	7. Tell the Truth

Time seemed to drag on as she sat with the others in the waiting room. But finally Whale told her that Hook should be waking up soon and that she could see him. So she sat on the edge of the bed and waited again. He looked a little better with some of the blood wiped from his face, but not by much. And if the circumstances were different she might laughed at the sight of her leather-wearing pirate in a hospital gown and robe.

Luckily she didn't have to sit there long before he woke up. Whale told her he'd be fine but seeing his blue eyes open made her feel more sure.

"Where's Cora?" She asked him getting straight to the point.

Well, actually the point was to talk him out of his revenge. But she had a feeling he'd get angry with her so she might as well get this out of the way first.

"Told you, you cracked a few ribs." She told him when he admitted that it hurt to move after noticing his right wrist was cuffed to the bed rail. "Where's Cora?"

He told her that he didn't know where she was and then somehow he was able to turn their conversation into one innuendo after another. It took everything she had to keep a straight face.

"You look awfully chipper for a guy who just failed to kill his enemy then got hit by a car." She told him to change to subject and hopefully lead up to what she really wanted to tell him.

"I did some quality damage to my foe." He added after another suggestive comment.

"You hurt Belle." She corrected him, still not believing that he'd actually hurt a woman. Another shred of proof of how much he'd changed.

"I hurt his heart. Belle is just where he keeps it." He said as if trying to justify his actions. "He killed my love, I know the feeling."

'Yeah, you're not the only one.' She thought to herself. Sure, he wasn't dead and Rumpelstiltskin hadn't been the one to take him away from her but the feeling was the same. She had given Killian her heart back then and to be honest he still held most of it. And she also mourned the loss of Milah. She was glad that she had gotten away from her unhappy marriage and she knew there wasn't a better man out there than Killian. But the thought of Rumpelstiltskin the village coward killing his ex-wife was something she never expected and Milah certainly didn't deserve it. And Killian didn't deserve to lose those he loved, even if he didn't remember losing her.

"Keep smiling, buddy. You're chained down. He's on his feet, immortal, has magic, and you hurt his girl. If I were to pick dead guy of the year, I'd pick you." She said finally breaking the silence.

It hurt to say it, but it was true. If he didn't stop this foolish quest, and she knew Milah wouldn't want him to ruin his life over her. And with that she started to walk away, feeling that he wouldn't listen to what she told him right now.

She heard him trying to free himself but to no use before calling after her just as she was about to close the door behind her.

"What, Hook?" She asked pausing in the doorway.

"Time is a precious thing and you don't seem like one to waste it. You do everything for a reason. So why don't you tell me the real point of you coming here to see me." He stated.

"Give up your revenge." She said quietly as she sat back down, knowing he wouldn't take any other answer. "I know you want him dead but you're right. Belle is where he keeps his heart and by making her fall over the line you erased every memory she has of him. The woman he loves has no idea who he is and no longer loves him. And that is a far worse fate."

"You sound as though you speak from experience." He commented, reading her like a book as usual. "What fool managed to forget about you, lass?"

"You did." She replied barely loud enough for him to hear.

"Sorry to disappoint you, love. But I know how you kiss, I'd remember if I was ever in love with you. Besides, Milah is the only one woman I've ever cared for."

"I don't know how to prove it and I'm not even sure how it happened in the first place. But it did happen. You and I knew each other before you became Hook and I knew Milah."

"You're lying!" He hissed at the mention of Milah.

"Come on, Hook, you might not remember but I'm still an open book and you know it." She said a little irritated and rolled her eyes. "Milah was one of the best friends I ever had. You might not have met her if I didn't first. We shared everything together and I know she wouldn't want you to get yourself killed just to avenge her death."

"Still think I'm lying?" She asked him after a few moments of silence.

"No," He admitted. "But I'm still not sure if I believe it. You said so yourself that you don't have any proof."

"Well, how else do you explain that I knew your name before you told us, I probably know the _Jolly Roger_ as well as you, and I know what made you become a pirate."

"If you know the _Jolly_ then you must have spent some time on her. Why isn't there any trace of a woman on my ship other than Milah?" He questioned her.

"I can't answer that for sure. But for the first few months I stayed in your old lieutenants quarters, maybe you put my things back there after I left." She shrugged, hoping he had done that and not gotten rid of everything.

"Suppose that's plausible, I haven't been in there in years because it's just old storage." He sighed and he looked like he might be starting to believe her. "But if we were in love as you say, why did you leave?"

"I didn't want to. One minute I was with you on deck and you were showing me the different constellations and the next I was back in my world as if no time had passed at all. It was like the year I spent with you never happened."

"So you're telling me that I've somehow forgotten a whole year of my life?" He asked with a raised brow and she nodded. "I'll admit there are some childhood memories I no longer remember due to age or blocking out the more painful ones. But I remember everything since becoming a pirate and you're not the type one would forget."

"Hook, you're in a town where everyone has been living with cursed memories for the last twenty-eight years. Any number of things could have happened to you." She pointed out. "I'll do whatever I can to help you figure that out, if you even want to remember that is."

"That's a kind offer, Swan, though I'm sensing the word but is coming."

"But I'll only do it if you promise to leave Belle and Gold alone." She gave him an ultimatum, knowing the moment of truth was coming. Who mattered more to him? Milah, the woman he loved and remembered? Or her, the girl he once loved but had forgotten?

"You've chained me to the bed, love. What could I possibly do to them?" He asked, avoiding giving her an answer.

"Get some rest, Hook. Let me know when you've made up your mind." She sighed and left the room and this time he didn't call after her.

CS

"You were out all night. Where were you?" Henry asked as he came running down the stairs along with several other questions. But Emma was too tired to catch the rest of them.

"Rumpelstiltskin and Captain Hook had a fight and someone got hurt." Mary Margaret filled him in as he sat down at the kitchen island for breakfast.

"Is Hook gonna be okay?" He asked.

"We weren't sure if Dr. Frankenstein could fix him but he did." Emma told him. "Besides, he is a few hundred years old after all, I don't think a few broken ribs is gonna stop him." She assured him and smiled at a certain memory.

"Doctor…oh that's who Whale is."

"Yeah, but without the neck bolts."

"The monster had the bolts not the doctor." Henry corrected her.

'It's too early for this.' She thought to herself. She also wondered why he had to inherit her gift of being a smart aleck.

"Right, but either way some of us having known him, it's weird." She commented and threw a look her mother's way.

"It's not weird, we're passed it, we were cursed." Mary Margaret stated.

"What are you talking about?" Henry asked her.

"Nothing." David answered him. Emma almost wanted to laugh at the situation. She had heard that he punched Whale and she sort of wished she had been there to see it.

"Wait…"

"Really, it's nothing." Mary Margaret interrupted him and one second he was there the next he was gone.

He came back with the story book and started talking about Frankenstein not being a fairytale.

"Eat. I really want to go to bed." She told him, placing his cereal on top of the book.

Usually she didn't mind him coming up with theories but not when she had been up for the past who knows how many hours without sleep.

"If the curse went to places with other stories," He continued as if he hadn't heard her and she plopped her head down on the counter in defeat. "Then who knows who else is in this town."

It seemed the world was out to get her this morning because a second later a knock sounded at the door. Gold walked in and announced that he was cashing in the favor she owed him. And as if that wasn't bad enough she had to leave with him at noon today

'Was a few hours of peace and some sleep too much to ask?' She asked herself. She didn't think so but apparently it was.

"So much for getting any sleep today." She mumbled to herself when Gold left.

"Emma, you can't…" Mary Margaret started.

"But I do. I made a deal and I can't let him kill Hook." She interrupted her.

"I know. What I was going to say was, you can't do this running on adrenaline and coffee. Go take a nap, we'll pack for you."

"Are you sure?" She asked, still not used to other people helping, and both her parents nodded. "Okay, but help Henry pack too. I'm not going without him."

"Yes!" Henry said in excitement and she laughed and ruffled his hair.

She decided to skip breakfast and go straight for that nap her mother had suggested. Her last thought before falling asleep was something she'd been thinking about a lot since Killian got hit by the car.

CS

Month 4

 _The sun arose and light came shining through the windows of the captain's cabin and roused Emma from her sleep. She opened her eyes and stretched only to find that she was sore all over. But she supposed that's what she got for sleeping in a chair all night. It probably wasn't her best idea but the only thing she could think about was making sure Killian was alright._

 _They had been at the tavern and Lumière had just brought them a new bottle of rum. Emma excused herself to use this realms equivalent of a bathroom when a man approached her. He thought she was one of the girls that would give him a good time and was too drunk to take no for an answer. Thankfully Killian noticed her situation and knocked the guy out in one punch before anything bad happened. His two buddies however were not so easily defeated._

 _The fight seemed to drag on forever as she stood helplessly on the sidelines. And it was not by choice but because Cogsworth was holding her back. But eventually the one man surrendered and the other was too wounded to get back up. And though Killian was the victor he didn't come out entirely unscathed._

 _Cogsworth tended to his various wounds but he was still pretty bad. They all tried to insist that he stay there for the night but Killian, still his usual stubborn self, insisted on going back to the Jolly Roger. How he managed to walk all the way there, she'd never know. But she did know that he passed out as soon as he entered his cabin and she stayed with him so he didn't do something stupid when he woke up._

 _"Swan?" Killian asked groggily with his eyes barely open about ten minutes after she woke up. "Are you alright?"_

 _"You fought two guys last night by yourself and you passed out as soon as you got here. And you're asking me if I'm alright." She asked him incredulously._

 _"I'm fine, love. I have you looking after me don't I?" He told her with his signature look that both annoyed her and made butterflies flutter around inside her._

 _"Your ribs are broken; you have a nasty cut on your arm, a busted lip, and a black eye. Not to mention all the other scratches and the golf ball size lump on your head. That's not fine."_

 _"The what size ball?"_

 _"Golf, it's a sport in my world mostly played by old and mild-aged people with money." She quickly explained. "But that's not the point. The point is that you got hurt defending me and you shouldn't have done that."_

 _"Shouldn't have gotten hurt or shouldn't have defended you? Because I'll gladly admit I could have done a better job of blocking their swings. But there will never come a day when I don't come to your aid, love."_

 _"I can take care of myself." She stated defensively._

 _"I know you can. I've never met a woman stronger or braver than you. But if it makes you feel better, tell yourself I wasn't protecting you, I was protecting my reputation as a gentleman." He told her again with that grin of his. "Besides, why does it bother you so much anyway?"_

 _"And don't say it's because of some need for independence that women of your time strive for." He interrupted when she opened her mouth to reply. "You've happily relied on me since you came here and you know it."_

 _"But it's never led to you getting hurt before!" She shouted at him._

 _"Aye, but I've been hurt doing other things. You weren't this upset a few weeks back when that navy ship attacked us. Why is this different?"_

 _"It just is, Killian!"_

 _"That's a terrible reason, love, and you know it. You can do better than that." He stated, trying to push her buttons._

 _"Fine! It's because I…" She started to say 'I love you' but the words just wouldn't slip out of her mouth. "I…I feel guilty. If it weren't for me…"_

 _"If it weren't for you I'd still be waking up with a headache from drinking 'til I passed out. And I probably would have gotten into a fight over dice instead of a lass. I don't know about you, but I'd prefer the latter." He said and she couldn't argue. He was a pirate after all. "Now, I don't doubt that you feel guilty, even if it is needless, but that's only part of the reason."_

 _"I can't lose you." She whispered as she looked anywhere but his eyes._

 _"Well, you don't have to worry about me. I know you're not ready to say it yet, Emma. But I love you and it's going to take a whole lot more than a fight with a couple of drunks to lose me." He assured her in a way that only he could._

 _She stood up and walked over to his bed. Gently, so as not to disturb his ribs, she curled up beside him and laid her head on his shoulder._

 _"What if I am ready?" She said so quietly she wasn't even sure if he heard it._

 _"Ready for what?" He asked. She couldn't see his face but she could hear the hopefulness in his voice that he was trying to hide._

 _"To say it." She replied, still whispering._

 _"I'm a patient man, Emma. I can wait." He said, trying not to pressure her as usual._

 _"But I can't." She shook her head and sat up to look him in the eye. "I…I love you, Killian."_

 _"And I you, Swan." He smiled like a little boy on Christmas and she couldn't help but laugh just before he kissed her._

 _"Bloody music to this pirate's ears." She heard him mumble before kissing her again._

* * *

 **First let me say thank you for the reviews last chapter! That was the most this story got so far and I can't tell you all how happy that made me. So please keep them coming :D Also as you might have noticed, I've begun giving titles to the chapters. And the next one will be called Hidden Ring so feel free to guess what that little teaser may mean ;) But as for this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. It's one of my favorites because it was the first scene I planned out when I came up with the idea for this story so I've been waiting some time to share it with you. Anyway enough of me. Once again I hope you enjoyed, please review, and see you on Monday with Hidden Ring.**


	8. Hidden Ring

**Before we begin I want to say thank you for all yours reviews. They were awesome as always! And to the guest review from Kristy, yes I will drop a few minor hints later on about how Hook lost his memories. But you won't find out what actually happened until he remembers because he's the only one that knows what happened. So keep reading and find out. And speaking of reading let's get to the chapter!**

* * *

After Emma left him his hospital room the second time, after his escape attempt and finding out that the wobbly blue blob was not a hallucination, Hook managed to get some sleep. A few hours later he awoke and was told he was allowed to go. He thought he'd go find Cora but instead the Charmings, unfortunately not including Emma, and a dwarf were waiting for him. He was to take them to his ship and let them look around and he wouldn't be imprisoned for shooting Belle.

He stepped aboard his cloaked ship and found a rail to lean against. He'd had much worse injuries, like the loss of his hand, but his ribs still hurt like hell. And the prince's jabbing of them whenever he made a suggestive comment wasn't helping.

He didn't give them any real answers when they asked about Cora's plans. But he did show them the cage where the now human sized giant slept along with the key. He wasn't sure what he expected to happen, but he definitely didn't expect the ex-giant to attack the prince before fleeing his ship.

The three heroes left his ship and Hook knew he should go find Cora and tell her that the giant was loose. But he decided to do something else before that and went below deck. He first stopped in his quarters to get some rum which would hopefully help his ribs and ease his mind. The choice Swan had given him still sounded in the back of his mind. He wanted to know more about her and their story. He didn't think she was lying but he wanted some shred of proof before making a decision.

'You shouldn't even be considering this.' He thought to himself as he made his way to the storage room that used to be his back when Liam was captain. He shouldn't be letting this girl distract him from his revenge. It had been his goal for hundreds of years; he couldn't let it all go now over something that might not have even happened. Swan could just be making this up and hoping his curiosity got the better of him. But he couldn't make himself believe that.

Hook knew that the trunk which held some of Liam's things was under the bed so he decided to look there first for any trace of Emma Swan. There were two trunks underneath. The first one had Liam's navy hat resting on top. He'd tossed his own lieutenant's hat into the sea along with the rest of him uniform when he turned pirate but he couldn't part with Liam's. He reverently set the hat aside and pulled out a large white cloth that took up the rest of the trunk.

"What the bloody hell was a dress doing in here?" He said aloud.

And it wasn't just any dress, it was a wedding dress. Liam never married and this would be the last thing Milah would ever keep. That left one option, Emma. He quickly shook the thought from his head and put it away as fast as he could. He was almost afraid to open the next trunk but if he could face the Crocodile and every other imaginable foe, he could look inside a silly trunk.

The second trunk with filled with random odds and ends. He found quite a few books, some were novels and others were about sailing and different myths and legends of the sea. There were several necklaces, one he remembered stealing from the king he held responsible for Liam's death. He found several other pieces of jewelry but none of it stuck out to him, except for a ring. But like the dress he quickly put it aside and tried not to think of it.

He put the box with the ring in the bottom of the trunk and when he did he uncovered something he hadn't been expecting. It was a leather covered drawing pad like the one Milah used to have. He flipped through it and knew immediately that Milah was the artist. There were some sketches for different dresses as well as lots of pictures of a younger looking Emma. There was even one of him with her standing at the bow of the Jolly.

Hook knew that almost anything was possible with magic and it didn't seem too hard to believe that he had known Swan in a past time. But when she'd mentioned knowing Milah, he couldn't believe that. After seeing her drawings of Emma though, he couldn't deny it. And if they really did know each other, then Swan was right. Part of him always knew that Milah wouldn't want him to spend his life chasing the Crocodile. But he could never let go of his revenge before, always afraid that it would mean he didn't love her anymore, which he never wanted to happen.

But maybe it didn't have to mean that. He had plenty of things to remember her by. And she'd always be a part of him and a part of Swan as well. He hadn't understood it at the time, but the look on her face was grief when he'd told her Milah was gone. Maybe they could heal together. It had helped to talk to those that served Liam when his brother passed. And maybe one day she'd tell him their story that he longed to remember now that he knew it was true.

CS

A little while later, he went to meet with Cora. He would tell her about the giant but he was also trying to think of a way out of helping her further without getting beheaded. The only reason he was working with her was to get to Rumpelstiltskin and that was no longer a concern. He placed the playing card with the queen of hearts on the ground and expected to Cora to appear behind him, not her daughter.

He knew what it meant to be on her bad side, especially in this town. So he decided to play along and continue to help them for a little while longer. It wouldn't do him any good if he wound up dead before he could speak to Emma about his decision.

He waited while Regina gave the giant a mushroom that would restore him to his proper size and the followed her to where Cora was laying low. He stood in the door way as the two shared a sort of mother-daughter moment over Henry. He wasn't really listening until he heard them mention Gold, old habits die hard.

"Back? From where? Where has Rumpelstiltskin gone?" He questioned them only for Regina to tell him that she didn't know. "Well, if he's left town then he's powerless. He can be killed."

He knew that not that long ago he'd decided to try and let the Crocodile be, but he couldn't pass this up. Surely Swan would understand, he'd be doing the world a favor. And no one else needed to get hurt if he was powerless. Wasn't that her biggest concern, Belle getting hurt?

"Even if you could find him, do you really think you can just walk up to him and stab him in the heart with your sword?" Regina asked him.

"Well, I prefer my hook but I can't find that now."

Somehow Cora convinced him to stay and help them find the dagger instead of going to New York alone. But he should have known better then to listen to them. As soon as he showed them where the dagger was according to the map, Cora sent him flying into the book case.

Hook finally came to and went straight to the sheriff's office. Time was not to be wasted; he needed to get to the Crocodile before Cora and Regina. He took the keys from the prince, whom he'd knocked out with a crow bar, and retrieved his hook. He also 'borrowed' several maps for his quest to finally kill the Dark One.

CS

(Time Jump) (Emma's POV)

'Oh, crap' Emma thought to herself as she boarded the _Jolly Roger._ It had been over a decade but it felt like yesterday now that she was back. She looked over at the spot where she last was before being taken away from Killian and tried not to think about the fact that she had left him behind once again. This time it was in a basement. But it was his own fault for stabbing Gold with his hook. Revenge was more important than lost memories to him after all she supposed.

She stood on deck for a little while and watched Henry sail with Neal. It was bad enough having him back in her life since it turned out he was Gold's long lost son. But he then he saw Henry, did the math, and assumed the kid was his. Henry was already going through enough with his other mom being the Evil Queen, she didn't want Neal getting close to him and then bailing out like he did with her.

After a little while she decided to go below deck and check on Gold. She trusted Neal with Henry for now, even if he did almost say the 'b word' in front of him. Gold was getting worse but there was nothing to be done until they got to Storybrooke. Instead of returning to Henry and Neal she decided to rest for a little while in the captain's quarters.

It looked mostly the same when she entered. But there were a few subtle differences like more books and maps on the shelves, a drawing of Milah by his bedside, and an old worn blanket on the bed instead of the quilt that had been given to her by Milah's mother. One thing that hadn't changed though was his knack for keeping everything, no pun intended, ship shape. Which, he learned through Liam and his days in the navy. In fact, the only time she remembered seeing his messy was one of the happiest nights of her life.

CS

Month 9

 _"Permission to come aboard, Captain?" Emma asked as she stood on the gangplank of the Jolly._

 _"Well, that depends. Why does a beautiful lass like yourself want to be on pirate ship?" Killian asked, deciding to play along with her._

 _"So I can kiss the dashing rapscallion that I've missed so much." She replied and they both smiled at her choice of words._

 _"That seems like a plausible reason." He consented and offered his hand to help her aboard. As soon as her feet were on deck she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in for the promised kiss. "Looks like you missed me just as much as I did you, love."_

 _"Are you kidding me? There's no way you missed me as much as I missed you. Don't ever leave me again, Killian Jones!" She yelled at him in all seriousness, but with a hint of playfulness. She was too happy to actually be mad at him._

 _"You know why I couldn't take you with me on this voyage." He sighed and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear._

 _Yes, she did know, but that hadn't made it any easier. They heard rumors that there was a reward for Killian's arrest and Cogsworth told them a navy ship was docked in a nearby village looking for him. Killian was not one to run away from a fight and decided to seek them out instead of waiting for them to find him. But he didn't want her caught in the crossfire if anything happened to him. So she had stayed with Milah's mother the past two weeks. She enjoyed the time on land, especially now that she felt more comfortable after nine months in this realm, but she never stopped worrying about her pirate._

 _"But that's all taken care of now and I have no intentions of leaving you behind again." He assured her. "Now, why don't I take you to Lumière and Cogsworth's place for dinner? And after that we can come back here and stargaze, just the two of us. How does that sound, love?"_

 _"Perfect," She smiled and gave him another kiss._

 _A few hours later they returned to the Jolly and stood at the stern for the stargazing Killian promised her. It was one of her favorite pastimes. And having the entire crew leave was a rarity and she appreciated the privacy she and Killian had._

 _"What one is your favorite?" She asked him as she pulled his leather coat closer around herself._

 _"Well, most sailors prefer Polaris. As long as you can find it in the sky, you can find your way home they say." He said as he wrapped his arms around her from behind to keep her warm. "But I've come to find that I prefer Cygnus."_

 _"That wouldn't have anything to do with me would it?" She asked teasingly considering her last name was Swan._

 _"Aye, maybe," He replied and scratched the back of his neck. "But it pales in comparison to you, love."_

 _"Stop!" She yelled at him as she laughed and turned away._

 _"Why should I when it's true?" He asked and moved so he was right in front of her. "You know most women can't get enough when a man compliments them."_

 _"When am I ever like most girls?"_

 _"You never are. And that's exactly why I love you, my swan, my Cygnus, my shining star in the sky, my light, my home." He told her and she could see the love he had for her in his eyes._

 _"Am I really all that to you?" She asked. She had never been anything to anyone, let alone all those things._

 _"Aye, and so much more, Emma." He answered and reached into his pocket, pulling out a box. "But there is something I must ask you. There is one more thing I would love to call you."_

 _He stopped speaking for a moment as he got down on one knee and opened the box to reveal a ring._

 _"Emma Swan, will you do me this honor, and make me the happiest man in all the realms, and be my wife?" He proposed with a hopeful yet nervous smile on his face._

 _"I…Killian, I…this is crazy." She stuttered. She wanted more than anything to say 'yes' but she was still a teenager and they had only met a few months ago._

 _"I know it seems that way, love. But I also know that nothing has ever felt more right than this."_

 _She heard what he said, but his words weren't the only ones sounding in her head. She thought of Milah and her mother. Milah had said from the beginning that Killian had his eye on her and would be crazy not to propose. And she had been the one to encourage Emma to be with Killian all along the way. And her mother could have been married longer if her husband wasn't so stubborn. Emma didn't want to be the reason for wasted time between her and Killian, not anymore._

 _"Yes," She finally whispered with a smile and tears in her eyes as well._

 _Killian's smile grew wider and he quickly placed the ring on her finger._

 _"I love you." He stated whole-heartedly and kissed her. And at this point both of them were crying tears of joy._

 _The wind started to pick up so they went to his quarters to avoid catching a cold._

 _"What happened here?" Emma asked. It looked like a tornado had gone through the room._

 _"Well, taking care of those navy men wasn't the only thing I did while I was away. I purchased a ring and told one of my men to take it back here. And right before we docked here I started looking but couldn't find it anywhere. I tore the place a part and after I finally found it I started pacing and trying to think of what to say instead of tidying up." Her fiancé admitted and was once again scratching his neck._

 _Fiancé, wow it felt so good calling him that. And hopefully soon she would be calling him husband._

 _"You were really that nervous to ask me? I know I didn't answer before you could even finish the question. But did you really think I could say no?"_

 _"I wasn't sure what you'd say to be honest. I hoped it would be yes, but it took so long for you to admit you loved me in the first place and I was afraid it would be too soon. I also know that, while it's common in this land, girls your age don't marry in your world unless…what was the term you used?"_

 _"Shotgun wedding because the girl got pregnant and her parents were forcing the guy to marry her." She finished for him. "And you're right; I did think that was a reason to say no. But I know we're meant to be, Killian, so what's the difference between marrying at seventeen versus twenty-seven? Besides, I'm feeling more at home in this realm than I ever did in mine. So, if this is how it's done here then why not?"_

 _"Swan, are you saying what I think your saying?" He asked hesitantly._

 _"I know you said a long time ago that you would come with me if we ever found a way back to the Land Without Magic. But I don't want to go back anymore. I want to stay here with you, Killian." She told him and sealed her words with another kiss._

* * *

 **Thank you guys for reading. And I hope you enjoyed the little surprise of having part of this chapter from Hook's POV. I figured it was about time. And you'll be seeing his side now and then but this story is still mostly from Emma. As for Hook's sudden change of mind, it's not that he doesn't care for Emma, because he is starting to, but right now he just can't let go of his revenge. And that will also be explained a little more in the next chapter, Mrs. Jones. Yes, you read that right but that's all I'm saying for now. So check back later this week for more and please don't forget to leave a review :)**


	9. Mrs Jones

It wasn't much but Emma was grateful for the little bit of rest she got on the _Jolly Roger_ because it was a long time before she got another opportunity to do so. As soon as they arrived in Storybrooke they had to take care of Gold and her mother ended up killing Cora. This resulted in sending her mother into a state of shock and she hardly ate or spoke and Regina wanted to kill her. Not to mention Henry was still unhappy that she'd lied about his father dying in a fire, he ran off when Gold suggested they kill Regina, and tried to destroy magic. And having Neal and his fiancée around was not making things easier. And she didn't realize it until later, but August's dying words were a warning about Tamara.

But thankfully the Blue Fairy was able to turn August back into a human boy and afterwards she and her family had a quiet afternoon at the loft. And she used it as a chance to apologize to Henry. She was lucky that he was so forgiving. Sure she was working at it and things definitely had improved between her and her parents but she hadn't reacted so well when she learned the truth.

"Do you think Captain Hook will find his way back to Storybrooke soon?" Henry asked as he plopped down on the bed.

"I don't know, kid. Why do you ask?"

To be honest she had sort of forgotten about him with everything that was going on. Now that she thought about it, he should have made his way back by now. Or maybe he thought Gold was dead and saw no need to return since his only goal in life was 'complete'.

"Sailing his ship home was a lot of fun. Do you think he'd let me do it again?"

"Henry, there are plenty of boats down at the docks you could take sailing if you want to learn."

"Yeah, but they're not real pirate ships."

"I know." She sighed, trying to think of a way to let him down easy. "But I don't think it's a good idea, Henry. The reason we left him in New York was because he tried to kill Gold."

"Exactly, he tried to but he didn't. You're giving Dad a chance after what he did, why not him?"

His question was innocent curiosity and he had no idea about the deeper meaning she saw in them. And she wasn't sure how to answer without lying or revealing the truth about her history with Hook.

"Henry, it's not the same. I know that's not the answer you want to hear but I don't even have all the answers myself yet. But when I do, I promise I'll tell you."

"Okay I guess." He shrugged, reluctantly accepting her answer. "But don't take too long. Maybe Hook just needs a reason to stop and maybe you giving him a chance might be it. Just like Regina won't do anything if it means losing me."

She had once thought the same thing, and obviously she wasn't enough. But she didn't want to crush all of Henry's hope so she didn't tell him that.

"I'll definitely consider it, kid." She told him and tried to give him a hopeful smile. "So, speaking of pirates, want to see if your grandparents want to watch _The Princess Bride_ with us?"

"Sure, but why not just watch _Peter Pan_ or _Hook_?" He asked curiously.

"Because the real Hook is nothing like those pathetic guys in the movies and it just feels wrong. Wesley however is a pirate that's worthy of being called one." She told him as they walked downstairs to get the movie.

CS

A few days later Emma ended up running into Hook down by the docks after her walk on the beach with Neal. She knew she should be helping her family look for Regina, who was missing, but she needed to clear her head. Everyone thought her suspicion of Tamara were rooted in jealousy which was totally not so. Then Neal apologized for leaving her during their walk on the beach. She thought she had put that all behind her but now she wasn't sure what to think.

"What's worrying that pretty head of yours, love?" Hook asked her when they were standing just a few feet apart.

"Asking what's not is probably a better question." She said a bit sarcastically.

"I have a feeling you won't answer me no matter how I phrase the question, Swan." He commented and he was right. "I know you're not willing to share, love. But how about I help you take your mind off things."

"No thanks, Hook, I do not need your idea of _distraction_ right now." She shot him down.

"Believe it or not, I actually wasn't implying that. But I'd be happy to help if you have a change of heart."

"What do you want, Hook?" She asked and folded her arms across her chest.

"Join me for a drink and I'll tell you." He replied and headed towards his ship without waiting for her response.

She wanted to spite him by not following but the offer of rum right now was too tempting. She did not however follow him below deck when he went to fetch the rum and chose to stay on deck and watched the sun finally peek out from behind the clouds.

"So what do you want?" She asked again once after he'd returned with her bottle and she had taken several generous sips of rum.

"You were right; at least I assume you are. Perhaps you could confirm it for me."

"Care to give me a few more details before I agree to anything?" She asked as she took another sip from the bottle he'd given her.

"I found two trunks and I believe the contents belong to you. However I can't be sure, considering still don't remember ever knowing you in the past." He told her and took a swig from his flask.

"Speaking of that, I gave you a choice and you chose the wrong one." She stated raising her voice. "Why should I help you now?"

"Isn't a wife supposed to be love, honor, and obey her husband?" He pointed out with a smug grin and a raised brow.

"How do you…I thought you said you still don't remember?" She asked with a tremble in her voice from the sudden shock of what he said.

"I found a wedding dress and a ring. It was easy enough to put two and two together, love."

"Yeah well, there's more to the vows than just obeying. They also say to honor each other. I asked you to stop and leave Gold alone but you clearly didn't honor that request." She argued with him.

"After looking through those trunks I was fully prepared to let Rumpelstiltskin be. Until I heard Regina and Cora mention that he had left town and I just couldn't pass that up."

"So you can't remember loving me, you don't honor me, and now you've admitted to going after Gold instead of having a chance with me which I'm going to count as unfaithful. Can you blame me for not obeying? And by the way that isn't said very much nowadays when people get married. Aren't we right up there next to Snow White and Prince Charming when it comes to couple of the year?" She ranted angrily.

"I know what you're thinking, but believe me, Emma. I did it for you." He said calmly and quietly and she could hear the sincerity in his voice.

"I thought you were doing it for Milah?" She questioned him, still not believing even though she wanted to.

"I am. But it's different now." He answered and then continued with an explanation. "While I was sailing to New York I kept trying to come up with reasons to justify it to you. I know to say you'd be unhappy when you learned of my actions would be an understatement. My main one was that neither Belle nor any other bystanders would be hurt. Then I realized that if I were to remember and we picked up where we left off, what was to stop the Crocodile from going after you like I did Belle? Like he did to Milah?"

"Cora couldn't take my heart so I doubt Gold can either." She assured him.

"There's more than one way to skin a crocodile, Swan." He pointed out and she nodded in understanding.

"So, I'm your Belle?"

It wasn't exactly what she was hoping for but it was something at least.

"Aye, in a way."

"But you're still not going to give up are you?" She asked but it was more of a statement than a question because she already knew the answer.

"The Crocodile has to pay for what he did to Milah and I won't let him hurt you or your boy."

She didn't agree with his methods but she knew he was telling the truth about wanting to keep her and Henry safe from the Dark One. And she would never turn down help when it came to protecting Henry; it's why she was tolerating Neal.

"He won't hurt Henry thanks to Neal." She let him know. "Speaking of him, I need to get back so we can keep looking for Regina. Thanks for the rum."

"Of course, love. Or should I call you Mrs. Jones now?" He asked turning their serious conversation back to playful.

"Not unless you want David to kill you." She replied and they both laughed. "But that reminds me. This is yours."

She reached into her jacket, into the inside pocket right next to her heart, and pulled out a ring.

"Whatever took me away must have swapped our rings." She said as she placed his wedding band in his hand.

"That's probably a good thing considering I lost my left hand." He commented with a smirk and for once she laughed at one of his hand jokes.

"Yeah," She nodded and couldn't help a small smile. "Goodbye, Killian."

She walked away without looking back because she knew if she did she won't be able to leave. It had only been for a few minutes but it felt so much like old times. But she was still the sheriff and finding Regina came before her own needs.

CS

 _"And where do you think you're going?" She heard a voice behind her just as she placed her hand on the doorknob._

 _"Milah!" She gasped quickly spinning around. "I was just…"_

 _"I know very well what you were just about to do and I am not about to let it happen." She stated. "It's bad luck to be together the night before the wedding and for the groom to see you before the ceremony tomorrow."_

 _"Yes and it's also bad luck to have a woman aboard a ship and I've been doing so for several months now." She pointed out. "Also, Killian and I have been sharing a room since we got engaged. Nothing happened any of those nights and nothing will happen tonight either."_

 _"You're right because you're not leaving this house." Milah said firmly with no room for arguing. Milah once said she thought of her as sister but much old sister that had the role of mother was more like it. "Emma, Killian is a well-known pirate and it was hard enough getting Friar Laurence to agree to marry you. Don't make things even more difficult by spending the eve before your wedding with your groom to be. After tonight you'll be sailing alone together for three weeks and you can be with him then to your hearts content."_

 _Milah was right; it had been difficult finding someone to marry them. And it was to be a small affair, which suited Emma just fine, in the home of Friar Laurence and with just a hand full of people to be witnesses._

 _"Fine," Emma reluctantly gave in. "I'll do this your way. But you owe me."_

 _"Oh I don't think that will be a problem." Milah laughed and they went back to Milah's old bedroom in her mother's house._

 _Emma never had any sleepovers growing up but she had a feeling this was what it would have been like. And Milah repaid her handsomely the next morning. Emma assumed she would wear her usual corset, which she absolutely hated, and her other undergarments under her wedding dress. But Milah had other ideas._

 _"Open it." Milah instructed as she handed her a box._

 _Emma did and was surprised to say the least. Not only had Milah helped her mother to make one beautiful wedding dress, she'd also made extra special undergarments, if you could really call them that, to go along with it._

 _"Milah, you shouldn't have."_

 _"What is a best friend for if you can't give an extra special wedding gift?" She shrugged with smirk that showed she had no regret. "And if you try to say that my gift was helping organize this whole thing along with the dress then just tell yourself that this is a gift for you and Killian."_

 _"Milah, you are terrible!" Emma yelled as her cheeks flushed red._

 _"And you are being ridiculous. Now stop lollygagging and let's get you dressed so I can do your hair. We don't have much time before it's time for you to tie the knot." Milah insisted._

 _And tie the knot she did. But she almost didn't thanks to how tight Milah tied the strings of her dress to close it. Oh boy did she miss zippers. It was the tightest thing she had ever worn since coming to the Enchanted Forest. She could hardly breathe but she had to admit she looked good. And if his face was any indication, Killian thought so too._

 _The double doors of Friar Laurence's study opened up and she could see the smile on Killian's face, no signs of cold feet there. But when he turned and saw her entering the room on Cogsworth's arm his smile grew and she could see him start to blink rapidly. She had no such luck and a few tears, happy ones of course, escaped no matter how much she blinked._

 _She and Killian stood in front of the fireplace, with Lumière and Cogsworth on his left, Milah on her right, Friar Laurence in front of them, and Milah's mother sat at the clavichord in the corner._

 _The ceremony was short and sweet, and to be honest Emma didn't remember most of it. She was just so happy that she finally had someone who loved her, a real family, and a home where she could stay forever._

 _They each said 'I do' and Emma almost didn't believe this was really happening. And she kept expecting to wake up from a dream as Killian repeated his vows, to have and to hold…after Friar Laurence. Then it was her turn to repeat the vows. The feminist in her wanted to leave out the word obey, but she loved Killian and he loved her and always had her best in mind. She was in his world and she didn't mind letting him lead and she knew he always asked her opinion on the big things that came up._

 _And then before she knew it the ceremony was over and Friar Laurence said the words they'd both been waiting to her. "I now pronounce you man and wife. Captain Jones, you may now kiss your bride."_

 _And kiss her he did! If there was any doubt left in her mind as to whether or not this was real it was definitely gone now. If they had their way the kiss never would've come to an end. But Milah had other ideas and loudly cleared her throat when not even the cheers of congratulations deterred them._

 _"Emma Jones, you are in public." Milah whispered in my ear, mockingly scolding me. "And just a few hours ago you thought I was scandalous."_

 _"You'll see something a lot more than scandalous if you don't leave me alone so we can hurry and get to the tavern for a little celebration before sailing off into the sunset." She threatened her._

 _"Marriage looks good on you, Mrs. Jones." Milah replied with a wink and then added loud enough for everyone to hear. "To Captain and Mrs. Jones, may your joys be as deep as the oceans, your troubles as light as its foam, and may you find sweet peace of mind wherever you roam. Or in this case, sail."_

 _"Thank you, Milah," She said as she embraced her._

 _"Aye, thank you, Milah." Killian thanked her and then everyone showered them with rice and flower petals as they ran out of the house._

* * *

 **So not your typical CS wedding where they get married towards the end of the story after or in between saving the town. But they are married, though** **as we learned with Robin, Regina, and Marian, that doesn't necessarily mean anything. Or does it? Lol don't worry, I wouldn't be that mean to you guys. This story is CS all the way and they will get their happy ending. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review, new ones or regulars I appreciate them all. And check back Monday for the next chapter entitled Helping...Not! Lol ponder that one and I'd love any theories you guys have.**


	10. Helping or Not

**So before we get this started, if there are any of you confused by the time line I hope to cover everything in the the story in near future. For those wondering about Emm and Neal, that will be explained a little bit next chapter but mostly in chapters 11, 13, and 14 (not counting prologue as a chapter). Anyway I believe all questions should be answered within the next five or so chapters but if you still have some then feel free to ask and I'll do my best to explain them. And btw yes, Emma did remember that they were married. She didn't say anything for fear she wouldn't be believed, she isn't sure if it counts anymore as it was 200 years ago, and we all know how she'd rather keep some things to herself. So I hope that clears things up and** **now onto the chapter.**

* * *

"Killian Jones, you are a bloody idiot." Hook mumbled to himself as he made his way to the Charming's home.

He figured everyone would be gathered there trying to solve this mess. Emma was going kill him but in his defense hadn't signed up for this. When Greg and Tamara told him he could get his revenge by helping them he never imagined this. They told him no one would survive and that included the Crocodile but also Emma and her boy. Once he realized that there was no doubt in his mind that Greg and Tamara needed to be stopped. And he'd be damned if he just stood by and watched as Emma and her family did all the hard work to save the town. He was technically a part of that family after all wasn't he, even if he and Swan were the only ones that knew?

"We have to work together." He heard Emma's lad say as he walked in through the open door.

"From the mouths of babes, I'd say the lad has a point." Hook said making his presence known.

He'd expected Emma to kill him but he hadn't expected the immediate punch in the face from the prince.

"That's for the last time we met." David informed him. "Tell us why you're here before I use something else other than my fist."

"I think threatening to kill me is a bit redundant when we're all about to die anyway." He responded with no fear at all of the threat he'd been given.

"No thanks to you. Regina just told us you were working with Tamara and Greg to get your revenge." Emma stated and as he'd predicted she didn't sound happy with him.

"Well, that was before they told me I had to die to get it." He told her.

In the past he had no problems dying to get his revenge, if he was able to do it himself. Rumpelstiltskin dying as a result of Tamara and Greg's plan wasn't the satisfaction he'd been waiting for. And that was also before his talk with Swan. He couldn't exactly protect her and her boy if he and everyone else were dead. And for the first time in a couple hundred years he had something that was more important to him than his revenge. He made a mistake helping Greg and Tamara but was determined to make up for it in the short time that he still could.

"How? We don't even know where Greg and Tamara are." Emma pointed out when her father told his plan of stealing back the beans to go back to the Enchanted Forest.

"Well I do, and I can help." He informed them.

Once again though Swan was choosing not to trust him, and this time he couldn't blame her. David found an easy enough solution though.

"If he tries anything I'll shoot him in the face." He stated.

"Quite hostile aren't we?" Hook commented and he had to admit it was fun to get under his skin.

"Just being clear." He stated as Emma proceeded to split everyone into groups and telling them where to go.

CS

Hook and David didn't succeed in getting all the beans from Tamara and Greg but they managed to get one. And if things went well one should've been more than enough.

"We have the bean." The prince announced as the unlikely duo entered Granny's.

Hook watched as Emma exchanged a few words with her father and then went to get Henry.

"What…where's my mom?" The lad asked her.

"Regina can hold off the self-destruct device long enough for us to escape but…" Emma trailed off.

"But what?" Henry asked and Hook could see Emma scrambling in her mind trying to figure out a way to tell the boy something very difficult.

"She won't survive."

"No, no!" The boy shook his head and the two argued over how this was what Regina wanted.

"We saved her from being killed by the wraith. How is this any different?" He pointed out and apparently Snow White agreed with her grandson.

"We sent it through a portal. Why can't we do the same thing with the self-destruct?"

"Because we don't know if it's gonna work?" Emma replied, clearly not liking the idea and neither did Hook. This was too big of a thing to risk it all on a small chance. And it seemed that he and Swan agreed on that. "It's too risky; no one will go along with it."

"Yes, we will." Dr. Hopped spoke up for the group. "Because it's the right thing to do. Look Snow White and the prince have always led us before and we've always won. So, who's willing to let them led us again?"

Nearly everyone in the room raised their hand and it was quite amazing to see their loyalty to the prince and his wife. But Emma still wasn't convinced but after a little family moment between her parents she came around to their way of thinking. The prince tossed the pouch with the bean, or what he thought had the bean, to Emma but he intercepted it.

He still didn't remember his past with Emma but that didn't mean the urge to protect her at all costs had left him. If this crazy plan failed she'd be dead and he'd rather see Regina sacrifice herself than Swan.

"You're all mad." He told them. "I can live with myself, if she wants to die for us I say let her."

"You and I, we understand each other. Look out for yourself and you'll never get hurt, right." Emma said to him.

"Worked quite well for me." He replied.

"Yeah, until the day that it doesn't. We're doing this. It might be stupid, it might be crazy, but we're doing it. So you can join us and be a part of something, or you can do what you do best and be alone." She stated, doing all she could to persuade him. And if the life of her and her boy weren't on the line she would have done just that.

It was amazing to see how far she'd come since they climbed the beanstalk. She'd left him before he could leave her because being alone was what she did best. Now, she had her family and had become ever stronger. If she had grown up in the palace as she should have then she would make a fine leader when the time came for her to rule.

"Quite passionate, Swan." He said and handed her the empty pouch. Its twin with the bean safely hidden in his coat having never left since the prince grabbed the wrong one when he took it from him earlier.

"Why are you really doing this?" He asked her quietly as everyone began to leave Granny's.

"The kid just lost his father today; I'm not letting him lose a mother too." She admitted.

"His father? Who's Henry's father?"

"Neal," Emma replied barely loud enough to hear and not looking him in the eye.

"Baelfire," Hook said, mostly to himself. Bloody hell, suddenly his plan changed.

Emma left the dinner, but he stayed a moment longer to sort through his plan in his head. Swan was going to kill him if she ever got her hands on him for what he was about to do. But he'd already lost Milah and Bae, he wasn't going to let anything happen to Henry. Baelfire once accused him of breaking up his family, and maybe he did, but he was going to right that wrong by getting Henry to safety.

"Hold up, lad." He called out to Henry, who was luckily lagging a little behind the rest of the group. "I need you to come with me back to my ship."

"But…"

"No, buts," He interrupted him. "I promised your mother I'd look after you while they try to send the device through the portal. Besides, don't you want to see a real pirate ship up close?"

"Yeah!" The lad nodded enthusiastically when he mentioned his ship as he knew he would.

"Come along then, we need to hurry if you want the full tour." He said and started walking with the boy towards the docks. That wasn't the real reason they needed to hurry, but the lad didn't need to know that right now.

CS

"Shouldn't we be getting back by now?" Henry asked him after they had been sailing for a bit. They were almost at the right distance to throw the bean into the water to create the portal.

"Henry, I…" He said slowly as he turned around to face the lad.

"We're not going back, are we?" The lad asked him as soon as he saw his face.

'Just as smart as his mother.' He thought to himself.

"Why?" Henry demanded, not waiting for an answer.

"I'm getting you to safety and that's all you need to know."

"Wait, if you think safety is away from Storybrooke then that means you think they're going to fail." The lad said after a few silent moments of thinking.

"Aye, they may be prepared to take a chance but I'm not." He told him.

"But if they fail, which they won't, how are you going to get me away fast enough? I'm pretty sure this thing will also affect the water and there's not enough wind to sail into the open ocean in time. So unless…" The boy spoke and Hook watched as realization dawned on his face. "You have it, don't you? You didn't really hand the bean over to Mom you kept it. How could you do that? You have to turn back!"

"Henry, I know this isn't easy and that it's not what you want but…"

"No, this is the easy way!" Henry interrupted him. "Us escaping but everyone else dies. Didn't you hear Mary Margaret? It might not seem like the sure way to you but it's the right way. And they will succeed if you give them the bean."

"I'm sorry, Henry. I know both of your mothers want you safe more than anything else. We're doing this my way." Hook told him, sounding more like the captain he was ordering his crew than talking to a mere boy.

"You know the saying about angry mama bears? Well, I've got two of them and they don't need help protecting me. I know they'll find a way to stop this and keep everyone alive with or without the bean. But with the bean will be a whole lot easier." Henry argued with him. "I also know that you like Emma but this isn't gonna score any points with her. But being a hero for once might. You don't have to be a villain anymore, Hook, just trust us, trust Emma."

Henry's little speech was just as passionate as Swan's had been earlier, if not more. It had taken everything in him to ignore her words then and he didn't have it in him to do it again with her lad.

"You really are your mother's son." He told him and began turning his ship around.

"Which one?" The lad asked with a mischievous grin, definitely Emma's lad.

"I was talking about Emma, but you do have some of Regina in you too. The good side of course not the Evil Queen." He replied.

"You believe she has good in her?" He asked a little surprised. "Most from the Enchanted Forest still don't believe in her."

"I do because I've seen it. Her love for you brings out the good in her just like it makes Emma stronger. And you and Emma both seem to bring out the little bit of good left in me. You have quite a way with words, lad, and you are both very persuasive when you set your mind on something."

"Well, I should be considering who my moms and grandparents are. You've got to know when to say the right things and all when you're ruling a kingdom. And I read a lot for a kid my age."

"Aye, you do have quite the heritage, lad. And if you ever want to borrow one, I've a collection of books on legends of the sea and how to sail if you're interested."

"Really?" He asked, looking pretty excited, and Hook nodded. "Can I borrow one now?"

"Of course, there are a few in my cabin but I have a few more in storage that I can get for you when we return." He told him, thinking of the books he'd found in Emma's trunk.

"Thanks, I'll just grab one from your cabin. But do you mind if I get a snack first?"

"Not at all," He shook his head and then told him where the galley was and the lad quickly made his way below deck.

He was glad the lad was excited about the books. Maybe one day he could teach him to sail like he did his father. His mind drifted a little as he watched the horizon to memories of young Bae.

But his reminiscing was interrupted by a clattering noise on the deck, like dice hitting the table. Then before his eyes a portal appeared in the middle of his ship. But that wasn't the only thing that appeared. Greg and Tamara popped up from below deck dragging a kicking and screaming Henry with them.

"Bloody hell," Hook said to himself as he ran towards them. He was able to grasp the edge of Henry's jacket but he was still too late. The trio fell through the portal and it closed up before he could follow after them. Now Emma really was going to kill him and Regina and David would probably gladly assist her. What had he done?

CS

(Emma POV)

Emma didn't think she'd ever felt this relieved before. She had combined her power with Regina's and together they were able to stop the self-destruct device and save the town. She knew Henry would be over the moon when he heard the news.

And speaking of Henry, she and her parents, who she'd finally called Mom and Dad, along with Regina were still looking for him. She'd realized he wasn't behind her anymore about halfway to the mines but it was too late to go back for him and she told herself that Archie or someone was looking after him.

"Archie, have you seen…" She began when she saw him across the street.

"Emma, you did it. You saved us. We knew you could." Archie praised her.

"Thanks, Archie." She smiled at him. "Is Henry with you, or did he maybe go back to Granny's?"

"I'm sorry, I haven't seen him." He replied shaking his head. So much for the feeling of relief she had.

"Emma!" Her dad called out to her.

"Did you find him?" She turned around asked hopefully.

"No, but I spoke to Leroy and he said the rest of the dwarves would look for Henry too. But he also told me that Hook's ship is gone."

"He left." She whispered in disbelief. He wouldn't do this to her, would he?

"He stole the bean, Emma. Did you really think he was going to stick around?" Regina sarcastically pointed out. "He's gone and I bet he's taken Henry with him. I'm going to kill that pirate when I get my hands on him."

"Regina, if Hook took Henry maybe it was because he was trying to protect him. All we have to do it follow after them and let them know that we saved Storybrooke." Her mom told her, looking on the bright side as always.

"And how exactly are we going to do that?" Regina demanded. "We don't have a bean, and I doubt that Tamara and Greg are going to hand theirs over to us so we can drag the pirate and Henry back."

"Henry back? Where has Henry gone?" Gold asked them as he and Belle approached them.

"Hook used the bean and took Henry to who knows where to protect him from the curse." Her dad explained to him. "You're the Dark One. How do we get them back?"

"There's no way…There's no way in this world without a portal." Gold informed them.

"I refuse to believe that." Regina stated and she agreed. "I didn't save this town just to lose my son because of some idiot pirate with a crush on Miss Swan trying to be a hero."

"What is that?" Belle asked, luckily before a fight could somehow break out, and they all turned to see a ship sailing in the distance sailing towards them.

"Hook," Emma answered her, knowing the _Jolly Roger_ anywhere.

"If that's Hook's ship then that means he never left and Henry's still here." Mary Margaret realized.

"He's still here." Emma echoed her words, feeling shock similar to when Henry woke up from the sleeping curse.

She had tears in her eyes from the happiness and relief and she didn't even try to brush them away. Instead she embraced her mom and hid her face in her shoulder and her dad joined them too. This was a much happier family hug than the one they'd just shared in the mine that they thought would be their final.

"I'm still going to kill the pirate." Regina mumbled and Emma couldn't hold back the small laugh that escaped her lips.

* * *

 **Obviously this chapter had a big plot twist to it. I wanted Hook more involved and to show his reasoning behind what he did since it's not the same as in the show. And I really wanted to write a scene with David & Hook getting the bean** **but it just didn't work out. Though I'm sure you all know where this is headed so there will definitely be lots of that in future. But as you can see from this chapter, you never know when another curveball is coming so don't think you already know everything that's gonna happen in the next few chapters. There are some big things coming down the pipe. Any who, hope you enjoyed, please review, and see you later in the week with the chapter Leaving Home.**


	11. Leaving Home

It wasn't long before the _Jolly Roger_ was docked and everyone gathered around to make sure Henry was alright. Emma knew Hook would never hurt him but some of the others weren't so convinced.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Emma demanded as Hook walked down from the ship. Sure she was glad he hadn't used the bean but she was still miffed that he'd taken Henry in the first place despite his good intentions.

"Helping," He replied, sounding remorseful for his actions. Good.

"Well you're too late." She informed him.

"I thought you didn't care about anybody but yourself, pirate." David stated. He already didn't care for Hook and this only fueled the fire.

"Maybe I just needed a reminder that I could." He replied but he was looking at her when he said it and not David.

She took the pouch he handed her and made sure the bean was really in it. And sure enough it was. But if he knew the town was saved why was he still handing it over to her?

"Let me guess. Henry?" She asked already knowing his answer.

"Aye, you're lad has a gift with words." He replied and scratched the back of his neck. There was something he wasn't telling her.

"Speaking of my son, where is he?" Regina demanded.

"I honestly don't know your majesty."

"What do you mean you don't know?!" She yelled at him.

"How do you lose a kid on a ship?" Emma asked incredulously. "Even if he's hiding there are only so many places to go."

"He's not on the ship. I took him there to keep him safe. However my plans to protect him backfired. Greg and Tamara were stowing away on my ship and took Henry through a portal when he went below deck to fetch something."

"No," Emma gasped. Henry was gone and this time it was for real.

"You took Henry on your ship with those two on it! Are you insane?" Regina was once again yelling at him.

"The term stowaway means traveling without permission. I assure you if I had any idea they were aboard I wouldn't have let the lad anywhere near the Jolly." He stated defensively. "Now, we can stand here yelling at me all day, and trust me, I already know this is all my bloody fault. Or we can start figuring out how to go after them and get Henry back with the bean we have."

"Hook's right we're not helping Henry any by just standing here." Emma agreed and started walking towards the Jolly.

"Hold up, Miss Swan." Regina called after her. "We may have a ship and a bean but those won't help us any if we don't know where we're going.

"Leave that to me." Gold spoke up and she jumped forgetting he and Belle were still there. "I can get us where we need to go."

"Then let's do it." Her mother also spoke up. "I want my grandson back."

The group, except Belle, immediately boarded the Jolly Roger. Emma expected Hook to put up a fight about Gold joining them for the journey but surprisingly he didn't. She didn't know what Henry said to him but apparently her son had accomplished what even she couldn't. And thankfully Gold was willing to set aside the centuries old feud as well.

"You're not skittish of needles are you, Miss Swan?" Gold asked her as he conjured up a magic globe. At least she thought it was a globe but it had no markings of any kind and seemed more like a crystal ball.

"Not exactly," She replied wearily. Normally she wasn't but this was Gold asking her.

"Good, now prick your finger on this point here and flick a drop of blood onto the sphere." He instructed her.

"Why?" David demanded.

"Miss Swan is Henry's biological mother. Therefore her blood can show us where to locate him, simple as that I assure you." Gold explained.

She still had a little bit of doubt but this was for Henry. She did as she was instructed and sure enough a red image started swirling around and an island she'd never seen before appeared.

"Where is that? Where did they take Henry?" Regina asked as she took a closer look.

"Neverland." Hook replied after taking a look himself.

Emma paled at the mention of the place. She'd never been there but she knew Liam Jones died from a poisonous plant that grew there and that is was nothing like this world's version of it. If that's where Henry was she hoped that Pan didn't get his hands on him.

CS

(Hook's POV)

Hook felt the urge to kill Rumpelstiltskin all over again when he left them once they arrived in Neverland and for what he said to Emma when he did. It was uncalled for. He didn't know exactly what her life was like before she found her family but an orphan was an orphan. He understood the struggles she was facing and believed that she could do this despite what the Dark One and anyone might have said.

"Don't let Rumpelstiltskin get you down, love." Hook told her a little while later below deck.

"What do you want?" She asked him as she tried to catch her breath after her exercising.

"To give you something." He replied and went to retrieve the cutlass that once belonged to the father of her son. "You know, Baelfire and I once spent a lot of time together."

"He was always Neal to me." She told him. "Well, I guess that's not entirely true. I knew him as Bae a little bit when he was just a kid."

"When you went back in time?" He clarified and she nodded.

"This was his." He told her as he handed her the sword.

"I didn't realize you were sentimental." She commented as she looked it over.

"I'm not." He stated and grabbed his flask. "I just thought you could use it where we're going…you know to fight."

And with that he took the cork out with his teeth and poured her a drink. "To Neal."

"How long was he with you?" She asked him after their drink.

"Long enough for me to know that I miss him too." He answered her and she nodded as a gesture of shared sympathy.

"I was Milah's escape from the life and responsibilities of a mother and wife. I never saw her husband and I only saw Bae a few times. And his hair was usually covering his face." She told him and he let out a small laugh knowing exactly what she was talking about. "A few days after I was brought back to my world I met Neal. He was a grown man with a normal name and I had no idea he was that he was Milah's little boy. Not until I went to New York with Gold."

"Not to change the subject, love, but I can't help but wonder." He told her and then asked his question. "You and I were in love and married. However a few days back in your land and you meet a man who becomes the father your child. Was I that easy to forget? Or were we not as in love as you made it seem?"

"I never once forgot about you!" She yelled at him. "And that's pretty rich coming from you of all people."

He sat there silently. He knew she was right and that he couldn't argue with her. He was the one that had somehow forgotten and had no right to accuse her as he had. So he sat there waiting for her temper to cool down.

"I'm sorry, love. You're right I shouldn't have said that." He apologized once she no longer looked like she wanted to kill him.

"Yeah, you shouldn't have." She stated and then sighed. "I loved you, Killian. For months I tried to deny it because I was afraid to take a chance, I knew how badly it would hurt if I ever lost you. And I was right."

She paused for a minute, holding her head in her hands. He knew this wasn't easy for her and he wished he could make it easier for her but he wasn't sure how.

"Gold was wrong; I have taken a leap of faith, by finally admitting the truth that I loved you. Everything was great while I was flying through air. We were happy, I became your wife, and we had a whole future planned out. But instead of landing on my feet and getting a happy ending I hit the ground face first and I lost you. Never had I ever felt that kind of love before and I was lost without it. I wanted to do whatever I could to have it again."

"Neal and I started out as friends, actual partners in crime." She told him after another pause and let out a dry laugh. "I knew how he felt for me and I decided to be with him as more than a friend. I cared about him and I loved him, in a way. In my world, there's a term called rebound. It's when you quickly move on from a messy break-up or just plain old heartbreak with someone else. Neal was that for me. What happened between us wasn't ideal and it hurt, but not as much as it hurt to leave you. Neal will always have a place in my heart despite what he did; he really helped me through a hard time. But I moved on from him a long time ago and obviously so did he. If he were alive I'd hope we could be friends but that's all we could ever be."

"I am sorry, Swan." He told her after a moment or two of silence. She had let down some of her walls by telling him that and it was a lot for both of them to take in.

"For what?"

"Your loss, and for Henry." He answered her quietly, guilt overwhelming him once again for losing her son.

"I'm not happy about that whatsoever and I'll probably yell at you for it some more later." She warned him. "But you were trying to keep him safe and I guess it's the thought that counts."

"Aye, but I could've prevented them from ever getting that far. If I had listened to you, if I had let go of my revenge sooner, if I hadn't taken their offer they could have been stopped before they set off that bloody device in the first place." He ranted, angrier at himself than he had even been before.

"You're right; there have been a lot of times you should have listened to me. But that's an awful lot of ifs, Hook. You played a big part in what happened, in the end though you tried to do the right thing. But Greg and Tamara came to destroy Storybrooke and take Henry. They would have done it with or without your help and whether Henry was with you, me, or anyone else."

"You really think so?" He asked.

"Aye, pirate, I really do." She smiled and he smiled as well feeling a little less guilty and because of her choice of words.

"Swan, I…" He began to tell her something but was interrupted by the ship rocking heavily and something hitting the side of it.

"What was that?" She asked him and he could see the worry in her eyes.

He knew immediately what it was and ran back above deck without pausing to answer her. Mermaids. And he told the prince so when he asked as he tried to keep his steady. The Evil Queen sent most of them away with fireballs but there was still one on deck that Swan and Snow White had caught.

"Get that thing off my ship!" He yelled at them, knowing how dangerous it could be.

Regina didn't listen to him but she should have. The mermaid grabbed its shell and blew into it, telling them it was a warning. Regina wanted to torture information out of it and Snow White wanted to help the mermaid to gain some sort of ally. But he knew mermaids lied and couldn't be trusted, however he suspected it was telling the truth when it said they would kill themselves. He just wasn't sure what that meant exactly and he had other things to concern himself with like outrunning the storm.

But this wasn't a normal storm and it worsened when Regina turned the mermaid into wood. The arguing worsened as well, to the point where even he got into a fight with the prince leaving only Swan to sail the ship and save them. And save them she did but in a way he never saw coming. She jumped overboard.

CS

(Emma's POV)

The storm was unlike anything she had ever seen. And she had seen her far share of them. Then the mermaid's words echoed in her mind.

"It's not the mermaids. It's us." She thought aloud, finally figuring it out.

She tried to tell the others but they were too caught up in their fighting to even notice. Somehow she was the only sane one and that meant it was up to her to do something. She stood on the edge of the ship and yelled at them again but to no avail. So she went with plan B, she jumped. She heard her parents call after her as she fell and knew she had succeeded in her plan. What she hadn't counted on though was getting hit in the head and blacking out.

CS

Month 12

 _"Where's Virgo?" Killian asked her as they lay on the deck of the Jolly Roger._

 _The rest of the crew was out at the tavern where they had docked so the happily married couple decided to take advantage of the privacy that had been scarce since their honeymoon._

 _"Right," He nodded when she pointed to the correct stars in the sky. "Now, how about Cygnus?"_

 _"That's easy." She laughed and pointed to the group of stars she knew almost without looking._

 _"Aye, I suppose it is. How about I show you a new one?" He offered and she nodded. "Alright then, if you draw a line from Cygnus and a line from Virgo, about where they intersect is Scorpius."_

 _He then pointed out exactly which stars made up Scorpius and handed her his spyglass. After looking at it for a few moments she began to see how a group of stars that looked like a hook made the tail and body of the scorpion and a few others that formed the pincers._

 _"You know, Scorpio is my sign." She commented as she placed the spyglass down beside her._

 _"Your what?" He asked with the same puzzled expression he always did when she mentioned something from her world that he wasn't familiar with._

 _"Sign." She answered and then explained. "There are twelve constellations that are a part of something called a Zodiac and there is one for each month of the year. It has something to do with the sun I think. Anyway, Aquarius is January, Virgo is September, and Scorpio is October. So whatever month you're born in that's your sign."_

 _He was silent for a moment taking in what she said. She expected him to ask her another question but not the one that he did._

 _"So, you're telling me your birthday was in October?" He asked and she nodded hesitantly._

 _'Why did he sound irritated?' She wondered to herself._

 _"That means it's already passed. Why didn't you tell me?" He asked her and this time he seemed a little hurt._

 _"Killian, I'm sorry. I didn't tell you because I didn't even realize it had passed. Time is different here. Although I probably should have figured that it came at some point since I've been here about a year now." She apologized and gave him a comforting kiss._

 _"Aye, exactly a year today." He told her. "The happiest day of my life."_

 _"I thought marrying me was the happiest day of your life, Captain Jones?" She teased him._

 _"It certainly was, Mrs. Jones. But there couldn't be a wedding day if you had never come now could there?" He pointed out and she nodded in agreement. "I know you're arrival in this realm was a bit traumatic with you almost drowning, but I wouldn't trade that day for anything."_

 _"I was so scared and confused. I probably would have panicked a lot more if you hadn't been there. And I know for the first several months all I wanted to do was leave. But now, I wouldn't trade it for anything either."_

 _"I'll always be here for you, Emma." He stated and sealed his words with a kiss._

 _"You know, growing up I couldn't wait to turn eighteen because I could finally be free of the foster system. But I got tired of waiting and left when I turned seventeen. It felt good to be free but something was still missing. I was still alone. But I'm not anymore. I don't know when my birthday was in this world, but I know that it was the best one I've ever had because I spent it with you. I love you, Killian."_

 _"Aye, and I you, Swan." He replied but his voice sounded miles away instead of just inches._

 _Suddenly she was no longer lying beside Killian on the deck in his arms. And the night air which had been so refreshing was gone. She was cold and wet and felt like she would suffocate if she didn't get air in her lungs soon._

* * *

 **Dun dun dun! Both in present and past Emma is not in a good situation. But next chapter, Who am I, picks up where this flashback left off. And let me just say, I apologize if my facts about the constellations and their locations are off. I just googled a star map and that's how things seemed, not sure how they'd look on the actual sky. But then again this is fiction...so yeah. Anyway hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for reading it and thanks for the reviews last chapter as well. Keep it up, they make my day! :D I hope you all have a great day as well and see you Monday? IDK what day it is lol but the next one is coming soon.**


	12. Who Am I?

_'This is it.' Emma thought to herself. At least her last words had been 'I love you' which was some comfort to her. But then the air she need suddenly filled her lungs and she coughed up water. It was a lot like it had been when she arrived in the Enchanted Forest but this time Killian wasn't there beside her. 'Killian!'_

 _She looked around but he was nowhere to be found. And that's when she realized where she was. She was back at the campsite at the edge of the lake. Now she understood the saying be careful what you wish for. For so long she had wished to return to her land but now that she had she just wanted to be back in her beloved's arms._

 _A slight breeze came from the water and Emma shivered. Gone was the thick fabric dress and in its stead was the underwear she'd been wearing when she went swimming in the lake a year ago. Luckily her clothes were still stashed in a nearby bush safe and warm._

 _She walked back to the tents and campers and things looked exactly as they had when she left. Actually it was like she'd never left at all, and it was sort of eerie. Had she just swallowed too much water while she was swimming and it was all just some wild dream or hallucination? But then something caught her eye and she knew that wasn't true. On her left thumb was a simple gold wedding band that had been Killian's. At least she had something to remember him by. But that wasn't enough for her. She wanted him not his ring. She wanted his love not just a symbol of it. Hadn't he just promised to always be with her? Tears started streaming down her face and she cried herself to sleep._

 _The next morning Emma woke up with the sun which didn't help her sulky mood at all. Killian was always up at this hour though and tried his best not to wake her. But if he did he would kiss her forehead and tell her to go back to sleep and she always did. This morning however there was no kiss and there was no way she was going back to sleep._

 _She began to pack up her things, some her own and some stolen. Considering that last detail she figured she should leave the campsite quickly before anyone missed their things._

 _"Excuse me, my brain isn't working this morning. Could you tell me what today's date is?" She asked an older woman that had just left her tent as she walked by. The woman answered her and Emma thanked her then continued on her way._

 _'How is this possible?' She asked herself. The date the woman had given her was the exact same day she left. Technically it was the day after. Or was it the same since it all probably happened after midnight? She decided that she didn't care about the specifics; her brain wasn't awake enough to figure that out. But she knew enough. She'd traveled across time and realms and spent the most amazing year of her life with someone she loved. Only to be brought back to the same time and place as if she'd never left._

 _Another weird thing she'd noticed was her reflection. Her hair was a few inches shorter than it had been yesterday. And something about her face seemed…younger? The person reflected in the window of a car was not the same person she'd seen in the mirror yesterday. Had whatever this was made her a seventeen year old again? That's just not possible she told herself despite everything that had already happened. Something that probably everyone woman over the age of thirty wish would happen, happened to her against her will. Now she was seriously starting to question if her time in the Enchanted ever happened. People just don't go back in time or in age. But the ring on her find kept telling her otherwise._

 _A few days later she made it to Portland. It had been so long since she was in such a big city and she found herself once again wishing that Killian was with her to help her adjust. But he was with her, at least a piece of him was. His ring gave her hope but it also reminded her of what she'd lost. That first night had hurt so much, but now she was just numb, probably due to shock and confusion. All her life she wanted a family and to be loved but never had. Now though, she had had a taste of what it was like and didn't want to go without it._

 _If she could she'd go back she would in a heartbeat but she knew that wasn't possible. And if she couldn't move back she'd move forward. Thanks to Killian she'd been able to forget her past and she knew he wouldn't want her to let him drag her down. She'd find a way to survive in her world again._

 _"I love you, Killian." She whispered as she took his ring off her finger and placed it in the front pocket of her jeans._

 _He was gone now and she needed to accept that. She knew she'd never really move on but she also knew that she would never see him again. So why should she torture herself? Life with Killian was over but that didn't mean her entire life was over. She had to keep living and that's what she did._

 _And one of the first things she did was steal a car. Not her smartest choice, especially considering that the owner popped out of the backseat as she was driving. He asked her name and at first she didn't give it. But the second time she answered._

 _"It's Emma…Emma Swan."_

 _'That's who you are now' she told herself. You're not the same girl anymore that you were last week. Killian is gone and so is Emma Jones._

CS

For the third time in her life Emma found herself coughing up water. And that was three times too many in her opinion. This time, her parents were on either side of her, both of whom looking very relieved. She looked up at the sky and saw the clouds parting and knew her plan worked and the storm was over. They were safe, for now.

"I told you." She said still trying to catch her breath. She had a feeling she'd probably get a stern lecture for what she did sooner or later but it was worth it. They couldn't save Henry if they all wound up dead from arguing.

And that's pretty much what she told them when they made it to the island.

"Gold was right. This land is run on belief. All of us have been too busy being at each other's throats to be believers. I was as wrong as anyone else." She admitted. "But it's time for all of us to believe, not in magic, but in each other."

"You want to be friends?" Regina questioned her incredulously.

"I don't want or expect that." She shook her head. "I know there's a lot of history here and a lot of hate."

"Actually I quite fancy you from time to time when you're not yelling at me." Hook interrupted with a comment.

'Was he ever serious?' She asked herself as she refrained from rolling her eyes. It was so like him to say something like that but that was also part of why she loved him. 'Now's not the time for that, Emma.' She told herself.

"We don't need to be friends. What we need to know is the only way to get Henry back is cooperation." She told them. "We just need to succeed. And the way we do that is by just being who we are. A hero, a villain, a pirate, it doesn't matter which because we're gonna need all those skills whether we can stomach them or not."

She didn't care who she had to team up with. As long as she got her son back and she hoped the others realized that too. But she'd do it alone if she had to. She was a mother after all and that's what she told Regina when she asked what her skill was.

"But now I'm also your leader. So either help me get my son back, or get out of the way." She stated and apparently something she said convinced them because her parents followed immediately after her with Hook not far behind and Regina reluctantly took up the rear.

That didn't last long though. David and Hook took the lead since Hook knew the island the best and David had a sword to cut away the branches and Emma took the rear with her mother. Regina complained about the hike and insisted that she could have just used magic. She couldn't exactly blame her since she wasn't the biggest fan of hiking herself but she trusted Hook.

"Here, you need to stay hydrated." Her mother said and passed her their water canteen or whatever it was.

"Thanks, Mary Margaret," She said, the words slipping out, out of habit.

"You know, Mary Margaret's a bit formal." She commented. "You could call me Mom if you want…you've done it before."

"That was back when we were…"

"Were about to die." She finished for her. "Oh no, I get it."

Emma continued on. She felt bad. She wanted to call her mother, Mom, instead of Mary Margaret. But once again she was pushing her feelings aside. She could be a daughter and let herself be loved once she found her son.

A little farther ahead the whole group stopped. A Dreamshade bush was in their path. Hook calmly explained what it was but she could only imagine what was going on inside his head. Being here at all probably wasn't easy for him but he was here, for Henry. She'd have to find a way to thank him when this was over.

"Your father's a distrustful fellow." Hook commented to her when David chose to go the opposite way he had suggested to avoid the Dreamshade.

"He's just not used to working with the bad guys." She told him even though she knew that Pan was more of a villain than he ever was or could be.

"I can assure you, on this island I am not the bad guy." He confirmed her thoughts.

"Yeah well, Pan's not supposed to be one either." She replied.

"What possibly gave you that idea?"

"Every story I ever heard as a child." She told him.

'Oh no, Henry thinks Peter Pan is he a hero.' She thought. If Pan came across him he would trust him and who knows what danger that could get him into. Why didn't she tell him the truth that afternoon when he thought Hook could become a good guy with the right reasons?

"Well, they got it wrong." He told her.

'No kidding.' You'd think she'd have figured it out a decade ago that her pirate husband would be Captain Hook when he talked of Neverland and his brother. But no, she didn't and now she was still trying to figure out how they could get Killian's story so wrong.

"Tell me something, love. In these stories, what was I like?" He asked. "Other than a villain, handsome I gather?"

"If waxed mustaches and perms are your thing." She replied trying not to laugh.

"I take it by your tone perms are bad?" He assumed, once again unsure of things in her world.

Bad was an understatement in her opinion. Boy did they ever get him wrong!

CS

They made camp a little while later, despite Regina's protest, and Emma managed to get some shut-eye. That is until she was awoken by crying that no one seemed to hear. She took her sword and started walking away from the campsite. And that's when he appeared.

Pan looked like a normal innocent boy and she could see why he was portrayed as such in her world. But she knew better and had him against a tree with her sword at his throat in a second. He wasn't quite what she expected. She thought he'd be more like Gold or Regina, more outwardly villainous. He didn't appear like that at all. But appearances can be deceiving and his definitely was. He looked like a boy but he was just as sneaky and conniving as any other villain, especially when he gave her a map to find Henry that was blank along with some stupid clue.

Apparently he liked to play games, but finding her son was no game to her. But like it or not, they had to play by his rules. Oddly enough David and Hook agreed with each other twice on that point. Pan said only she could unlock the map. That didn't stop Regina though from placing a locator spell on it when Emma couldn't unlock the map. And it led them into the Dark Jungle, into a trap.

She thought she saw Henry but it was really Pan who informed them that they'd broken the rules. Then they were surrounded by Lost Boys that were all armed with torches, bows, spears, you name it. The fight wasn't long but Pan got his point across and luckily he called the boys off before anyone got really hurt. And now it was back to square one, admit who she really was.

She quickly grew frustrated with the map and herself. Nothing she said did anything. But her mother encouraged her to keep fighting. Then she asked her why she stopped fighting the Lost Boy with the knife. Emma began to explain that he was just a boy and slowly she let her walls down and spoke of her time in the foster system. When she finally said that she felt like an orphan and the island appeared on the map.

Twenty-twenty hindsight it should have been obvious since she was in Neverland, home of the Lost Boys, that the answer was orphan. But maybe she needed to have this talk with her mother. She'd always put it off, and it had hurt a little to think back to that time, but she felt closer to her afterwards. And she hoped that things would change, she was ready for them to change. She didn't want to be an orphan, she wanted her family. And maybe being here would finally make her let go of her past.

"Is rum your solution to everything?" She asked Hook after she revealed that she'd unlocked the map. To be honest she didn't know why she did.

"It certainly doesn't hurt." He replied and then passed it to her once he'd had his drink. "So just how did you unlock the map?"

"I did what Pan asked." She said not really answering his question. She'd just had this talk with her mother and she wasn't ready for round two with Hook.

"Just who are you, Swan?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She quipped and handed him back the flask.

"Perhaps I would." He said quietly. "I know you've told me the basics of our little story. But that's only a year of your life. I think it's fair to assume that there's a lot more to Emma Swan than there is to Emma Jones."

"Shhh!" She yelled at him even though everyone else was out of earshot. "Don't say that. My father already wants to kill you; he doesn't need that bit of information. I need to find my son and I don't have time for a repeat of what happened back on the ship."

"I'd rather not have a repeat of that either, love." He stated in all seriousness, which didn't last long. "But as for your father, we seem to be getting along just fine."

"Exactly, because he knows we were in love once and thinks it's all in the past. If he even thought for a minute that you and I were…well you'd die a worse death than Pan is going to."

"Is that was it was, love? Admitting that you have a secret last name?" He asked with that same annoying look he usually gave her when making a suggestive comment and not even thinking twice about the threat her father posed.

"You wish, pirate. You wish." She told him then made her way to follow the others.

CS

She really needed to stop going off on her own. Every time she did, Pan showed up. This time he taunted her about being an orphan but she was used to stupid bullies. What did get to her was what he said about Henry. That he wouldn't forgive her and wouldn't want to leave Neverland. As she walked away he said one last thing.

"You won't just feel like an orphan, you'll be one." Pan stated ominously.

He was wrong. She had forgiven her parents. She knew hard choices came with being a parent. It just wasn't easy to forget the past, even though she was trying, and have a family relationship with the lives they led and everything that kept happening. At the end of the day though, she cared about her family and shouldn't let Pan hurt her son or her parents.

* * *

 **Sorry guys for the delay. I forgot Monday was a holiday here in the States. I don't know where my head has been lately. Anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter and there is one last flashback coming in a few chapters of Emma's life after returning to the real worls. Like this one it's mostly thoughts and I hope it comes across okay because I rewrote it several times trying to find the right feel. After that I'll be going and filling in some fluffy moments from the past so if you want to see something let me know.** **Also to make up for being day late her is a little preview of the next chapter for you.**

Gratitude

"Let me give you a bit of advice, Hook." The prince began. "She may have loved you way back when. But you're both different people now. Emma is a hero not a villain, she's never gonna like you. Your kind never changes."

"Is that so?" He questioned him. "I thought you just said we're different people?"

"You know what I mean. After all these years you're still nothing but a pirate, only you've gotten worse, and that's what will never change. But Emma was an orphan who now has a family and is only becoming more and more of a hero each day."

"You don't know anything about me, mate." He stated quietly but the menacing tone was still there.

"I know enough, pirate." The prince said in a similar tone and shoved him as he went to follow the ladies.

To be continued...


	13. Gratitude

If Emma got her gumption from her mother then she definitely got her stubbornness from her father. He never thought anyone could be as stubborn as she was, but right now, he father was giving her a run for her gold.

"How much longer do you think you can keep up this charade?" Hook asked the prince after the ladies had gone inside the cave. "Don't you think your family deserves to know you're gonna die?"

"Why do you care?" The prince asked.

"Why don't you?" He asked him back.

He knew about the curse and how Emma was left without her parents for twenty-eight years. It wasn't right to suddenly have her father taken from her again. Especially since she had just lost the father of her son that she cared for no matter what she said. But if she had to lose him they should at least have a chance to say goodbye unlike all the other times she'd been left by men she loved, himself included he supposed.

"What is the good in telling them when there is nothing I can do to stop the poison? When there is no hope?"

"Well, if there's one thing I've gleaned from you hero types, is that there's always hope." He replied, thinking of the water that had temporarily cured his brother. But he didn't think being trapped on this island amounted to much hope at all.

"Is there something you're not telling me…mate?" He asked him, seeing through him much like his daughter. And to ensure the point got across he'd even called him mate. If the situation weren't so serious he might have laughed.

"I told you the truth; you're never making it off the island alive."

"Then this is between us. The only thing they need to worry about saving is Henry." The prince stated and then went inside the cave.

He understood that he was a pirate but he obviously trusted him enough to keep the secret. So why couldn't he just listen to him? He knew that saving Henry was the priority. But he had a feeling that he wouldn't be making it off this island alive either when the prince died and Emma and her mother found out he'd known but hadn't told them.

Eventually he too made his way into the cave and saw everyone looking around at the drawings on the wall.

"Anything important?" He asked Swan.

"I can't tell yet." She replied. "I didn't know he liked drawing."

"He got it from his mother." He told her and she nodded.

"Milah was quite the artist. I assume you found some of her drawings in one of those trunks you told me about?"

"Aye, a whole drawing pad full of them. There are a few pieces of scenery, the Jolly Roger, one or two of Bae, and a handful of you and I together. But it's mostly sketches of dresses or you. The two of you really must have been close."

"We were. She once said I was like a little sister to her. And she made my dress and stood beside me when you and I..." She said with a hint of sadness and then trailed off. And he nodded, knowing that she implying about the wedding she didn't want to speak of.

"Well, I'm not sure if Milah ever drew maps, but let's hope that Neal did. Or at least left us some kind of clue in all this." Swan stated as the moment was gone and her walls back up.

And find a clue they did, but not in the drawings. Bae had made a map of stars, like he'd taught him all those years ago, out of a coconut and a candle. But he had taught the boy too well as he was the only one that could ever read the map.

The next thing they found was a group of tally marks next to a cot marking the days. Snow White assumed it was because he made it off the island. Swan however believed it to be because he lost hope, as she had done in the foster homes, and as she feared her son would. But apparently her mother had an idea as to how to send a message to the lad. She and Regina exited the cave but he held Swan back.

"What? We're wasting time."

"I know I can't remember us. Nor do I remember all that you've been through although I have a feeling that you told me in the past. But I do know what it's like to lose hope and I'm sorry you ever had to go through that. But we'll find your boy before he ever has to know that feeling."

"Henry will be thrilled to be rescued by Captain Hook." She said with a slight smile. "But I know what you're doing, trying to bond with me. And now is not the time, this is about Henry not us."

And once again she walked away and he was left alone with her father.

"Let me give you a bit of advice, Hook." The prince began. "She may have loved you way back when. But you're both different people now. Emma is a hero not a villain, she's never gonna like you. Your kind never changes."

"Is that so?" He questioned him. "I thought you just said we're different people?"

"You know what I mean. After all these years you're still nothing but a pirate, only you've gotten worse, and that's what will never change. But Emma was an orphan who now has a family and is only becoming more and more of a hero each day."

"You don't know anything about me, mate." He stated quietly but the menacing tone was still there.

"I know enough, pirate." The prince said in a similar tone and shoved him as he went to follow the ladies.

CS

"Stay away from my daughter." The prince continued his talk a little while later as the two of them were sent to gather more vines.

"Well, she can take care of herself. She doesn't need your parenting. Which is a good thing." He said and mumbled the last part to himself but Dave still overheard him.

"What does that mean?"

"It means you're gonna die in a day or so anyway."

"There's nothing I can do about that. But if I do die…"

"When," He corrected him. Where all royals this stubborn? Or was it just because this particular prince didn't like him?

"It'll be in helping my family. And that's something someone like you can never understand." Dave stated as if he hadn't heard him and continued walking.

Hook wanted to retaliate but he chose not to. Instead he decided to tell him about the cure. It wasn't much of a choice, but at least he could give him one. That way he could continue to help search for his grandson.

"What if I told you there's a way to save you?"

"I'd say no. Because anything that takes us off the course of saving Henry is selfish." He spoke almost before he'd finished. "But of course you'd think that was the way to go."

"You think I'm being selfish?" Hook demanded, this time he wasn't letting Dave's comment slide. "I'm risking my life for all of you."

"Please! You're not here out of any nobility, you're here for Emma. And let me tell you something else. You're gonna get her, memories or not. I'll see to that."

"You're right. I am here for Emma because I care about her _and_ her boy. Saving yourself isn't selfish, mate. She lost her lad and his father in the same day. She's a strong lass, but can anyone handle the loss of three loved ones in a week's time?"

"She hasn't lost Henry. And if losing me is what it take to get him back before he loses hope, then so be it."

"It's a good thing you're gonna die then." He stated, tired of putting up with his stubbornness.

Dave tried to take a swing at him, but he easily dodged it. And Hook thought it was from overexerting himself that caused him to fall over. But once he set him down he realized it was because he'd passed out. The Dreamshade must have been worse than he thought. When the prince came to he made him lift his shirt, and it was much worse indeed. It had almost reached his heart; he had only hours instead of days.

Hook walked a few steps away and took a deep breath, trying to figure out what to do with so little time. But then an idea came when David found a piece of worn leather with a military insignia marked 'Jones'.

"You know him?" David asked after tossing it to him.

"Aye, he was my captain and my brother." He told him as the wheels in his head began turning.

This was part of Liam's satchel that held the sextant they'd used to sail to this land. If this had survived perhaps it had as well and they could read Baelfire's map. Or at least that's what he told Dave. Up on Dead Man's Peak was the water that had saved Liam, not the sextant.

"I thought this was gone forever." He sighed. He didn't have much left from his brother. But maybe finding this now was a sign from him to do whatever it took to save Emma's father.

"I know how I'm gonna spend my last hours." David declared and he knew he had him. "We're gonna find that thing."

"Well, you might reach the top. But you'll die before you return." He told him, playing along as if he didn't know the water was up there.

"Then come with me and make sure the sextant gets back to Emma. You ready to be a hero?"

He nodded and followed him back to the camp where he said 'goodbye' to her wife and daughter. He didn't tell them he was dying but they clearly knew something was off. Hook knew he wouldn't be bringing back the sextant but maybe bringing David back to his family would make him the hero Dave thought he could be.

Usually he wouldn't care so much, but he didn't want to see another man die like his brother. And Swan deserved her whole family. She also deserved a hero not a villain if he ever got a chance to be with her. And he hoped he would because despite Dave's comments and lack of memories he felt himself falling for her. And all of those were also reasons why he turned down Pan's offer.

He and David made it to the top of the peak and Hook revealed the truth when David confronted him about his conversation with Pan that he'd overheard. Still the prince didn't believe him so for his own good he knocked him out so he didn't make the Dreamshade spread faster by pointlessly fighting.

"Bloody hell," He sighed as he covered his face and began cutting away the Dreamshade bush to get to the waterfall behind it.

He expected David to continue putting up a fight when he offered him the water. But surprisingly that wasn't the case once he sat up and listened to him. And even after he informed him that he could never leave the island he still decided to drink it willingly.

"That's a small price to pay for what I get in return, the chance to save my grandson and to help my family get home." He said and for the third time they were actually in agreement with each other.

"One question," David said after he helped him up. "Why risk your life for me when there wasn't anything for you in return?"

"I didn't do it for you, mate." He winked at him.

Which was true, he did it mostly for Swan. But like his daughter, he actually didn't mind David when he wasn't yelling at him. He never thought he'd ever save the life of a prince or have anything to do with royalty again, but then he never thought someone like Swan would walk into his life either. What he also didn't expect was for David to finally tell his family the truth when they got back to camp, or at least parts of it.

"Your flask, please," David asked him after telling everyone which he handed to him although still unsure as to why. "I thought he deserved a little credit."

"Thank you," Hook nodded and looked down. He still surprised and this wasn't what he was used to when it came to being the center of attention.

Perhaps this hero thing wasn't so bad after all. And it was all he could do to hold back a chuckle when the rum was clearly a bit strong for the prince who quickly passed it on to his wife.

"To Hook," She toasted before drinking and Swan followed suit after Regina passed.

"You really save his life?" Swan asked him after walking behind a bush a little ways away from the others.

"That surprise you?"

"Well, you and David aren't exactly…how do you say it? _Mates_?" She asked trying, and failing, to get his accent right.

"Doesn't mean I leave your father here to perish on this island." He told her.

"Thank you," She replied.

He could hear in her voice that she wasn't just saying it because it was the polite thing to say to someone. She really meant it and he decided to take a chance and see just how much she meant it.

"Well, perhaps gratitude is in order now." He said as he rubbed behind his ear and then tapped a finger against his lips twice to be sure his hint got across to her.

"Yeah, that's what the 'thank you' was for." She stated but he could tell she was secretly thinking about it so he continued on.

"Is that all your father's life is worth to you?" He questioned her and stepped closer.

"Please," She said as she closed her eyes and shook her head. "You couldn't handle it."

"Perhaps you're the one that couldn't handle it." He said back, knowing that like him, she loved a challenge. And quite right he was!

For a few moments they stood still, staring at one another. And then Emma grabbed the collar of his coat and pulled him in towards her until their lips met. The kiss was a long and passionate and unlike any other. Her hand found its way to the back of his head, pulling him even closer, and his did likewise. He thought it would be similar to when she'd kissed him atop the beanstalk, minus leaving him behind. But this was so much more than that. And even though this kiss was much longer than that one, it still ended too soon for him. He figured he'd probably never tire of kissing her and it had been a long time since he'd felt that way about a woman.

"That was…" He began then trailed off, for two reasons.

One, he doubted there were words to even begin describing the kiss. And two, instead of seeing Emma in front of him, he saw the ocean.

CS

 _"Captain, there's something floating in the water on the starboard side!" One of his men shouted._

 _Killian glanced over and sure enough there was something in the water. He took out his spyglass and upon looking closer he discovered that is was actually someone and not something._

 _"Get me a rope!" He ordered and quickly shrugged off his coat along with his cutlass, boots and one of his necklaces. But not the one that held his brother's lucky ring._

 _He tied it around himself and dove off the ship and swam out the person. He could see that whoever it was, was struggling to stay above water. And by the time he reached the person, who he realized was a young woman, she was unconscious but thankfully hadn't gone too far under. With the help of his men he got the lass aboard the Jolly and soon she began to cough up the water._

 _He wasn't sure why, but he felt as if the weight of the world had lifted off his shoulders when he saw that she was alright. He didn't even know her name but he felt that he would never be able to live with himself if he had been unable to rescue her from the water. What she was doing out there he had no bloody clue. But he was grateful whatever the reason for the chance to get to know the most beautiful lass he'd ever laid eyes on._

CS

 _"Aye, and I you, Swan." He replied and leaned in to kiss her._

 _But their lips never met. Startled he opened his eyes, it was unlike her to not embrace such a moment. He expected to either see a playful look on his wife's face or a distant one. But instead he found neither, for she wasn't there at all. He immediately jumped up and started calling out her name over and over again. He looked over the side of the ship but knew it was pointless, he would have heard a splash if she'd gone overboard. He searched the entire ship twice and she was nowhere to be found._

 _She was gone. His beautiful, loving swan had disappeared literally right under his nose. He didn't know how or why but he did know that she had not done so of her own freewill. Even if they had managed to find a way back to her realm, which they hadn't, she wouldn't have left him behind. Someone with powerful magic must have taken her from him._

 _"I will find you, Emma!" He vowed to himself as he stood looking at the horizon. "And I will kill whatever bloody fool is responsible for this."_

 _He gathered his men from the village and they set sail before dawn the next morning. There was no time to be wasted. Whoever did this had stolen something that was more precious to him than any treasure known to man. And whoever it was needed to learn that when you stole from a pirate you had to pay the price._

 _"I will always find you." He whispered to himself and added her wedding ring to the chain that held his brother's ring._

* * *

 **We finally got to the kiss! I've been waiting for this moment and for Hook to remember. Which means answers soon and some flashbacks from his POV as well. BTW I know that on the show he planted the insignia but I thought it'd be a nice touch for him to have a little symbolic nod of approval from Liam. Anyway hope you enjoyed the chapter and thank you for reading and also to those that review, especially my regulars! I'll see you next week with Secrets. That's right, it's time to visit Echo Cave and find out a new secret from one of our heroes. Who will it be?**


	14. Secrets

**So before we get to the story I want to give shout-outs to EmilyBea, Lakariana, xXrebelgirl07Xx, Nouqueret, fifirosepfingston, Silverian Rose, and Princesakarlita411. Your reviews absolutely blew me away! Can't thank you enough! Also thank you as well to everyone reading, following, and making this story a favorite. You're all awesome. Okay now you can go and enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

"A one-time thing." Swan stated, startling him back to reality.

He wanted to make some kind of remark but he was still in shock by what he had seen. Finally he remembered! All the late night stargazing, the kisses, the long talks when they let their walls down, the day she became Mrs. Captain Jones, he remembered everything. And he wanted to shout it from the treetops.

But as Emma had said earlier, this was about Henry not them. And he'd honor that request just as he did when she told him not to follow. He knew that if that kiss was anywhere near as strong for her as it was for him then she'd want time to herself to process.

"As you wish." He told her in an understanding tone.

And he too was grateful for the time alone. He sighed, leaned against a tree, and closed his eyes. Once again the memories flashed through his mind and a smile spread across his face. He thought for sure he'd never see his swan again, but now after roughly two hundred years they were together again.

But she wasn't exactly his anymore as Pan so kindly informed him. Bae, Neal, whatever he called himself, was alive after all and in Neverland. And Pan had left it up to him to tell Emma or keep it to himself before vanishing.

He knew that the right thing to do would be to tell her that the father of her boy was alive. And that would mean watching his love be with another man. It was one thing for her to be taken from him due to magic but it was another to simply let her go. But he'd already messed up Baelfire's family once, even if Milah did leave willingly, and he couldn't do that to him again or Henry either.

'Or Pan is lying to you and wants to make you be the one responsible for lying to Emma and hurting her.' A voice thought in the back of his mind. He definitely wouldn't put it passed the bloody conniving monster that hid behind the mask of a mere boy.

He decided that this was not a decision to be made lightly and perhaps it'd be best to seek a second opinion. So he told her parents privately about his conversation with Pan, leaving out of course the bit about the kiss. Which he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt meant something. It had broken the bloody curse after all hadn't it?

And he'll admit he was quite impressed when Mary Margaret found tracks which indicated a struggle occurred while they were gone. But did that mean Bae was alive or that Pan was just doing a very good job of making it seem so? He and the prince agreed to keep it a secret for now until they could confirm it. And eventually Mary Margaret agreed as well. But she wasn't as good at secret keeping as she was tracking.

"Fine, you want to follow the evil munchkin's dirt road, be my guest." Regina stated and soon after left to pursue finding Henry on her own.

And he didn't blame her. He'd much rather be looking for the boy than the man that had abandoned Emma but there was no way his was leaving her side.

CS

(Emma POV)

"What if she's right? Pan could be lying." Emma asked when Regina left.

She'd just kissed Hook again and was still dealing with all the emotions that came with that. And now she was at the second drop on the emotional roller coaster. She wanted scream and tell the ride operator that wanted off but knew it wasn't that easy. Nothing was ever easy and she had a feeling things wouldn't be ending anytime soon.

"Just because it seems too good to be true doesn't mean it is." Her mother told her. "Don't give up. You owe it to Henry to find out if his father's still alive. And you owe it to yourself."

Her mother was right and so they began their trek in search of Neal. But she was still unsure about all this. Could she lose Neal again if this was a trick? But the bigger questions as, if he was truly alive could she give up on Killian to be with him, to be a family with Neal?

"Why are pushing me toward Neal?" She asked Mary Margaret quietly as they were ahead of her dad and Hook.

"What?"

"Ever since I told you back in the Enchanted Forest, you've been encouraging me to give Hook a chance. Even when Neal came back you agreed with me that he should get to know Henry but that I shouldn't get involved with him again. But now I feel like you're telling me that I should be with Neal after all and I just…"

"Emma, slow down." She interrupted her rambling. "You don't have to choose this instant. As you've said, we're here for Henry and getting Neal back will help us with that."

"Now, I can't tell you who to choose and I'm not gonna try to." She spoke again after giving her a minute to calm down, which she appreciated. "If it seemed like I was pushing you towards Neal that's only because I want you to be happy. You loved Neal in the past and maybe you could learn to love him again because he still loves you. Hook on the other hand still doesn't remember that and I don't want you to be waiting forever and unhappy if you have a chance at happiness with Neal."

"What happened to having hope?" Emma asked her.

"There's always hope, Emma, but it's up to you what you hope for. Is it for Neal to be alive? Or Killian to remember?"

"I kissed him." Emma finally got up the nerve to tell her after a few moments of pondering the questions she'd posed to her.

"What? Who?"

"Hook. I kissed Hook." She stated. 'Really? Who else is there? Peter Pan? Ew, no!'

"You did? Why? And when?" She asked and Emma felt like she was being questioned by her high school best friend not her mother.

"It was after David told us he saved his life. And I don't know why. I just…everything that's happened since Henry was taken, he's put aside his revenge against Gold, he's here helping despite how much he hates this island because his brother died of Dreamshade, and then he saved his life. Even without remembering he's becoming more and more like the Killian I knew instead of the pirate that was working with Cora and didn't care about anyone but himself. And then he hinted around for a kiss and I just…I was tired of holding back and gave in."

This kiss wasn't like the one on the beanstalk. It was passionate and full of emotion. And maybe even powerful? It was like old times. In fact it reminded her of their first kiss. Both times part of her was telling her not to. But the other part, and the stronger one, decided what the heck and did it. She didn't regret it then and she couldn't find it in her to regret it now either.

"Well, do you want to kiss him again?"

"What? No. It was a one-time thing, a temporary lapse in judgement. It won't happen again. I can't let it happen again." She stated, not sure who she was trying to convince, herself of her mother.

"I don't think a kiss will stop you from finding Henry, Emma." Mary Margaret laughed a little. "But whoever you choose, whenever you choose, I'll support you and know that you can tell me anything about how you're feeling. I just want you to be happy, Emma. You deserve a happy ending and happy endings always start with hope."

Hope. What was she really hoping for? Henry needed a father but if she was honest with herself, she was hoping that this was a trick. But her mother was right, Neal loved her now and it'd be easier than waiting for Killian. But she also thought of the advice of Milah's mother. That happiness requires a little sacrifice sometimes but the reward was always worth it. And something worth having never came easy but wasn't a happy ending something worth having and waiting for?

It wasn't much longer until they arrived at another cave. But this wasn't an ordinary cave according to Hook. They were at the Echo Caves where you had to reveal a dark secret. She wasn't sure how that could save Neal, but when they entered the cave she realized what it meant, sort of. Neal was in a cage, on the other side of giant pit, for lack of a better word, that seemed to never end, and there was no way across. So somehow by revealing secrets they'd be able to reach him. And Hook decided to go first to see if it even worked.

"I kissed Emma."

"You did what!?" David demanded almost immediately.

"David, now is not the time." Her mother mumbled to him and she was grateful for that. There was a reason she had told her and not David about the kiss.

"I already told Mary Margaret so technically it's not a secret." She told him. "But it was just a kiss. How is that you're darkest secret?"

"It's what the kiss exposed. My secret is that I never thought I'd be capable of letting go of my first love, my Milah. To believe that I could find someone else, that is until we kissed. I realized then that as much as I loved her, she was not truly my first love. It's you, Emma. Your kiss broke the Crocodile's curse and I remember everything."

As soon as he finished speaking the ground shook and extension of rock came from Neal's side of the cave. But it wasn't enough to get across; someone else had to share a secret. And while her parents debated over whom was next Emma just stared blankly at Hook. He remembered? She didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry. But that was hours ago why didn't he tell her? All this time she'd been hoping he would and he knew that but now that he had he'd kept it from her?

"Killian…" She whispered not knowing what to say but felt like she had to say something.

"I know, love." He whispered as well with a half-smile and placed his hand on her cheek. "I'll explain everything to you, I promise. But this isn't the time, darling."

She removed his hand from her cheek but still held it as she stood next to him and listened to her mother's secret. Which wasn't an easy one to hear. Sure, she understood, she'd missed those same things with Henry. But to hear it said out loud…she felt like a kid again getting moved to another foster home. But she told herself over and over again that that wasn't the case. That Mary Margaret didn't want to replace her, just have a chance to have what she missed. The curse had taken something from all of them and she couldn't blame her for wanting to have a second chance. She'd love a chance to give birth not chained to a hospital bed, but not right now!

Once again the rock extended and by the looks of it, just one more secret and they'd be able to free Neal. The next secret, and probably the saddest of all, was her dad's. Killian hadn't saved him from a Lost Boy, he'd saved him from Dreamshade and now he was stuck on this island. Her mom would never get that baby that she wanted and Emma felt guilty for feeling a little jealous even for a second.

But finally there was a bridge and she crossed it by herself. She attempted to cut him out of the cage with her sword, like she had in Rumpelstiltskin's cell. But also like then, it didn't work. She thought she had gotten off clean when it came to the secret but that wasn't the case.

"It's okay. You can tell me anything." Neal told her and she knew that was true, she just wasn't sure how to say it.

"…I love you, I probably always will. You're the father of my son and I'll always care about you. But my secret…is that I was hoping this was a trick…because it would be easier for me to put you behind me then to face all the pain I went through all over again."

It was all true. Losing Neal had hurt so much, mostly because her heart had just begun to love again and then it was broken. And he had broken her trust as well which still caused problems over a decade later. And then he was taken from her again and she had only managed to keep going thanks to Killian and the determination to find her son. But she was tired of pain, tired of losing people, and just wanted it to stop even if that meant Neal was truly dead.

She wasn't sure what she expected to happen, the cage to disappear, for them to suddenly be on the other side with her parents, or for some type of opening to appear. But she wasn't expecting nothing to happen.

"I don't understand." She whispered and wiped away the tears that had shed.

"Emma, I don't doubt that you revealed a secret. And I know it took a lot of guts to tell me that. But I think there's an even darker secret that you have to reveal, to tell me." Neal told her calmly.

How was he calm? Shouldn't he be mad at her for what she'd said?

"Come on, you can do this. If not for me, then do it for Henry." Neal prompted her and suddenly she knew what secret the cave wanted her to reveal. She had to tell the truth about the lie she'd been living for weeks and had just told a few moments ago.

"Henry…" She whispered his name. Could she really do this? She'd already told Neal she wished he wasn't alive. Could she really tell him this too? "Henry…I was pregnant before I…I just didn't know. Henry isn't…he isn't yours, Neal. I'm so sorry."

She bit her lip to keep herself from letting out a sob and lowered her head in shame. She should have corrected his assumptions back in New York, but instead she played along because it was easier than facing her past with Killian and explaining it to everyone. But her head shot up, startled when a pair of arms wrapped around her. Neal was free and after all this he was comforting her. She didn't deserve this but she leaned into him anyway. All the pain, grief, and other emotions she'd been bottling up came out like a pack of Mentos in a soda bottle.

Eventually Emma managed to stop the waterfall of tears and she and Neal walked back across the rock bridge. Wordlessly they all walked out of the cave together and she couldn't get out of there fast enough.

"Thank you." Neal addressed everyone once they were outside.

"Well, don't thank us yet. We still have to save Henry." Her dad told him.

Neal and Hook quickly discussed the star map and how to get home and then Hook led the way to get Tinkerbelle. He seemed dejected as he spoke and she could only imagine what he was thinking about the way she was with Neal. She hadn't meant to hurt him, or Neal, but life is filled with as much pain as it is love and happiness and it can't always be the better of the two.

"About what I said…" She began to say once making sure he was alright.

"Emma, it's okay."

"No, it's not. I wish I could change how I feel but…I can't." She told him. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." He said, shaking his head. "After everything I put you through you don't have to apologize to me about how you feel."

"Maybe you're right." And she was glad he understood and wasn't angry. "But I do have to apologize for not telling you the truth about Henry. I just…"

"No, no, it's not your fault. I jumped to conclusions and my dad probably would have tried to kill you if he knew Henry was Hook's son. Having him think he's mine has protected him in a lot of ways."

"What do you mean?" She questioned him. Sure, he wouldn't hurt his 'grandson' but would he really hurt a sweet, innocent kid?

"I think we shouldn't tell anyone else about your secret. At least until we get off this island. Then I'll explain, I promise."

"You know that's not the first time I've heard that today and I'm getting really tired of it." She snapped a bit.

"I know, but I will keep this promise to you, Emma." He stated sincerely. "And hey, I'm glad you told me. I have a secret too. I'm never gonna stop fighting for you, never. And I'll look out for Henry even if he isn't mine, I'll keep him safe."

After that he headed to follow her parents and Hook but she just stood there. Forget the drops on the roller coaster, life had just thrown her for one of those corkscrews where the track is overhead and your feet are straight up in the air.

* * *

 **Henry is Killian's son! Are you surprised? I know Emma shouldn't have kept it a secret but from a writer's standpoint I can't reveal everything all at once. Plus, Gold probably would have no qualms about killing Henry since he's supposed to be his undoing if he didn't believe he was his grandson. So I'm doing this for Henry's own good. But she will tell Killian soon. I just want to get out of Neverland before the important talk happens between them. It should be during a time pf peace not chaos. I'll also explain why she gave him away in the next chapter called Rescue. And as for what happened to Killian...well I can't give it away just yet so keep reading. But in the meantime I'd love to hear any of your theories. Thanks for reading!**


	15. Rescue

**Want to start this off by thanking everyone that reviewed last chapter. The response left me amazed beyond words. And special thanks to CShipper who reviewed every chapter in one day. And thanks to another guest as well, I know exactly what it's like to tear through a story like that. Also thank you to those that follow or favorite as well. There's nearly 100 follows and 50 favs. You guys are awesome! Now let's read the chapter.**

* * *

"Be careful with Hook and Neal." Mary Margaret told Emma to change the subject off of her not talking to David.

"What we need to be careful with is the shadow." She corrected her.

To save time they had decided to split up. Her parents would get Tinkerbelle and she, Hook, and Neal would get Pan's shadow. That's how Neal got off the island before and they'd do it again.

"The fact that they both have feelings for you is dangerous too." Her mother stated.

"None of that matters. All I care about is getting my son back." She repeated the same thing she had been saying since Henry was taken in the first place.

But it turned out her mother was partially right. The entire time the two men were giving each other looks and making comments. Finally she snapped and demanded from Hook what was going on and he said that he had told Neal about their kiss. Great.

"Why would you assume that?"

"Because I was hoping it meant something." He told her. "I know it did for me."

"What meant something was that you told us Neal was still alive." She stated but then continued in a softer tone. "Thank you. I realize you could have kept Pan's information to yourself."

"Why would I have done that?"

"I don't know. Maybe Pan offered you a deal? Or you could have taken it as an opportunity to have me all to yourself? Eliminate a past boyfriend from stirring up trouble."

"It was a test. He wanted to see if I'd leave an old friend to die even if the old friend happens to be vying for the same woman I am." He told her. "I understand that things won't be exactly the way I've recently come to remember and that you did move on with B…Neal and care for him. But I believe in good form. So when I win your heart, Emma, and I will win it, again. It will not be of any trickery. It'll be because you want me."

"It is not a contest, Killian." She sighed trying not his words work their way into her heart. She wanted so badly to be his again. But things were so messed up now. Could they really be happy?

"Isn't it? You're gonna make to choose, Emma. You realize that don't you? Because neither one of us is gonna give up." He stated and she knew it was true.

"The only thing I have to choose is the best way to get my son back." She replied. She knew she couldn't keep using that excuse forever but for now it's what she had to do.

"And you will." He said with all assuredness.

"You really think so?" She asked a little surprised. She wasn't sure why but she expected his attitude towards Henry to change with this 'competition' between him and Neal. And now that he knew the truth she expected him to be angry that she'd supposedly had a kid so quickly with another man.

"I have yet to see you fail." He replied and she could see the admiration, trust, and love in his eyes that had been absent far too long. "And when you do succeed…well, that's when the fun begins."

But she should have known that wasn't the case though. He hadn't fully returned to the Killian she knew but she wasn't the same Emma anymore either. And to be honest Hook had grown on her and she lo…liked the man he was now as much as the one she'd married.

She almost wanted to kiss him again, but the moment ended when Neal returned.

Now her mother was definitely right. Inside the Dark Hallow, the two men, or boys she should say because that's what they were acting like, almost got themselves killed. They fought over a lighter, which they lost, so when the shadow came there was no light to draw them in and they attacked the guys. But there was more to it than just the lighter; they were really fighting over her. They were lucky that she had magic to light the candle so that their mistake wasn't a fatal one.

Afterwards, Neal tried to apologize but she wouldn't hear it. As far as she was concerned they were both in the dog house until Henry was found. But she lifted the coldshoulder treatment off of Hook to talk to him about Dreamshade.

"We need to talk." She grabbed his arm to get his attention.

"I find that when a woman says that I'm rarely in for a pleasant conversation."

"There has to be a way for David to leave the island."

She was thankful that he had saved her dad, she really was. But Mary Margaret had chosen to stay here with him because they both thought there was no other way. But there had to be! She didn't want to lose her parents, who were really rubbing off on her because she refused to lose hope either that they was a possibility still out there.

"No, there isn't." He said shortly.

"Hook, I remember what you told me about your brother. I know it wasn't easy for you to talk about it then and that it isn't any easier now but…"

"Then let's not shall we." He interrupted her and then explained how the water was connected to the island. She asked about taking some of the water with them but he pointed out that it would only be a temporary solution and David would end up just like Liam.

"Unless there was another cure." Gold suddenly spoke up and she jumped a little, not realizing he was listening. "You suddenly interested in what I have to say? I thought I wasn't to be trusted."

"You're not." She stated in reply.

When they ran into Gold and Regina a little while back she finally understood Neal's earlier warning. Henry was destined to be Gold's undoing but he claimed that he wouldn't hurt his own grandson. Neal still didn't completely trust him though, and neither did she. So she'd keep up the act that Henry was his son for protection.

"What's your price?" She questioned him once Gold said he could make a cure in his shop.

"Well, this is quite the favor. I'd expect one of equal weight in return." He told her and she wasn't exactly surprised. She really didn't want to owe him another favor, but she couldn't just leave her parents here.

"No, when we get back to Storybrooke you're gonna save David because it's the right thing to do. No deals, no favors. Understand?" Neal spoke up and confronted his father.

"Fine, I'll do as you ask." Gold nodded after only a moment or two of consideration.

She wasn't sure which surprised her more. That Neal could get him to agree to that? Or that Gold was so willing to make things right with him that he actually agreed? Either way she was grateful once again for Neal's presence. And even if she couldn't return Neal's feelings for her anymore she wouldn't want to cut him out of her life entirely and hoped they could be friends. She wouldn't want to leave Henry to pay the price if Gold no longer had a reason to spare him. And they had a past, which she couldn't bring herself to regret entirely, and before things ended badly they had been friends.

CS

 _Tallahassee. They were going to Tallahassee together to have a real home. No more Bonnie and Clyde, sneaking into hotels or living out of the Bug. And Neal wanted it with her. Neither of them had said that little phrase with three letters but she knew how he felt about her and now there was no doubt. At first they had just stuck together as partners in crime, nothing more. Then she felt more comfortable around him and soon there was a kiss here, kiss there, now here they were._

 _All the while she still thought of Killian. The pain was still there like it was yesterday but day by day Neal was helping to lessen the ache a little. She had a chance to be happy with someone that loved her and she wasn't gonna let that slip away while waiting for a second chance to go back to the Enchanted Forest. She knew she wouldn't get lucky enough for that to happen again so she figured this was her second chance at happiness. She felt guilty, like she was cheating on Killian only worse. But she couldn't keep waiting, hoping, for something that could never happen._

 _So when their plans fell apart, thanks to an old theft coming back to haunt Neal, Emma was determined to do whatever it took to stay with him. Leaving Killian was beyond her control but this time she could fight for what she wanted and she would. So what if it wasn't Tallahassee. Home wasn't where you were. It was who you were with._

 _"I can't let you risk…" Neal began but she interrupted._

 _"I love you."_

 _It wasn't the same love she had for Killian; nothing would ever be like that. But it was true none the less. If it wasn't for him she'd probably still be crying somewhere and barely surviving instead of living._

 _"I love you too." He smiled. "Think you can do it?"_

 _"I know I can." She smiled as well and leaned in for a cute Eskimo kiss._

 _And she did. Well, she got the watches at least. Then a police officer showed up and she learned Neal had left her. Had it all be a lie? Did he really love her? Had this been some sort of plan from the get-go? Those and a lots of other questions ran through her had as well as a wide range of emotions. But above all she felt betrayed._

 _She had his back and thought that he had hers. But she wasn't exactly surprised. She expected him to leave her when she started suspecting something was wrong after losing her lunch three times in one week. And in jail of all places her suspicions were confirmed. She was pregnant and with how far along she was, there was only one possible father. And it wasn't Neal._

 _If things had been normal, as in she never went through some kind of portal to another land, it might have been his. But she was pregnant when she returned to this world and just didn't know it. She should have guessed it sooner but she wasn't about to steal a pregnancy test or make an appointment with a doctor. But she did have that crazy journey and if Neal hadn't already left she wouldn't have expected him to stay once she started showing and be a father to a kid that wasn't his._

 _It still hurt that he'd left and turned her in but that thought helped a little. Although, it didn't hurt as much as when she was taken from Killian, and that was when she realized that Neal was a rebound. Rebounds were never meant to work out, just to help you move on and he had done that for her. And now she had a baby to help her move on from this heartbreak._

 _And really the baby was what kept her going, at least for the first few months. Her baby would be born before she got out. But whether it was born before or after wasn't the point. Either way she wouldn't be able to take care of it. She had been selfish by letting herself get close to Killian in the first place and her heart was broken when they were separated. She couldn't make that mistake again by keeping a baby that could have a better life with someone else._

 _She didn't know how to be a mom. And even though she planned to get a real job when she got out she knew she wouldn't get a decent one since she never went to college or even finished high school. What if the kid grew up to hate her in ten years from now because they were dirt poor and living in some crappy apartment in an even worse school distract because that was all she could afford?_

 _'No!' She told herself. She would give this baby its best chance and if that wasn't with her, then so be it. And she knew that Killian would agree that the baby's wellbeing must be put first. But if he were here she wouldn't be having this problem in the first place._

 _She already loved her baby, but when he was born she couldn't bring herself to look at him. She was afraid that if she did that she'd see Killian in him and lose her resolve. But she did make one request: that his middle name be Jones._

 _She felt that it was the right thing to do. After all, it would have been his last name if Killian was around. And even though they'd never meet and he wouldn't know what the name meant, her son would have some connection to his father. And if it weren't for the baby she would have started to doubt a long time ago whether she really met Killian and spent a year in the Enchanted Forest._

 _A couple of months later she was released and once again she found herself starting over in life. But this time she'd be doing it on her own. She slipped the swan keychain on a necklace as a reminder to never trust anyone. Her heart just couldn't take anymore and she was determined to keep her guard up. But she didn't want to completely forget either the love she'd had. So she slipped Killian's ring into the little front pocket of her jeans that usually had no purpose. And later when she bought her signature red leather jacket she sewed a small inner pocket so that she could keep his ring right next to her heart._

CS

She went to find David and tell him the news but never got the chance. They had finally arrived at Pan's camp, show time.

The plan went smoothly, except for one thing. There was no Henry there to rescue. However they did get useful information from Wendy. And it turned out Pan's plan was a lot worse than they thought. She, Regina, Gold and Neal raced to Skull Rock and they made it in the niche of time. But ultimately, they were still too late. Pan had already convinced Henry to give up his heart and he didn't believe any of them when they told him Pan was lying.

And before any of them could stop him, Henry put his heart in Pan's chest and collapsed to the ground while Pan floated up in the air. Henry, her son, her baby that she loved and had given up to give him a better life, was dead. Her little boy was dead and yet Pan had become immortal. But immortal or not, he would pay for this. She was not only a woman scorned but also a very angry mama bear and she was determined to make Pan regret the day he'd even learned of the truest believer.

With her mother and Regina she set off for Pan's 'Thinking Tree' that she'd learned of from the Lost Boys. They found Pandora's Box but it was a trap. They ended up tied to the tree while Pan taunted them about being reunited with Henry in death and also their biggest regrets because that's what was keeping them tied to the tree. But for once Emma was thankful that Regina was also Henry's mother. She loved their son so much that despite every horrible thing she'd done she didn't regret any of it. And because of that they were all freed from the tree. Regina took Henry's heart out of Pan's chest and then the quickly set off for Hook's ship where the others were ready and waiting for them.

For a few awful and never ending seconds Emma was afraid they were too late. But suddenly Henry opened his eyes and took a breath, just like when she broke the sleeping curse. This time though she and Regina both hugged him and shared in the joy and relief that their son was alright. Thanks to everything that had happened in on this stupid island she hoped she and Regina could continue this mother thing together instead of against each other. At the end of the day, Henry was what really mattered to both of them and to everyone really.

"It's okay, it's okay." Emma told him when he apologized for what he'd done, both to comfort him and herself.

"I…I wanted to be a hero." Henry stammered.

"Hey, there's plenty of time for that." David told him.

"And now it's time to rest." Mary Margaret added.

"Welcome back, young sir. Only the best for our guest of honor, don't you think? Captain's quarters." Killian told him and she threw him a grateful smile. He had done so much for her and Henry and she felt something in her heart that she hadn't felt for a very long time.

* * *

 **Again thank you guys for reading. This chapter was kind of just filler. Next chapter is where the really good stuff that you all have been waiting so long for happens. The title will be The Talks part 1. I know it's not the most original but it's true. There's some family fluff with Emma and her parents and then you FINALLY find out what happened between Killian and Emma and why she was taken after a year. And then in the following chapter, which will be part two, you find out how Killian lost his memories and he'll find out the truth about Henry. So like I said, a lot of good stuff coming up and thanks for being so patient. I'll see you Monday for the much awaited for chapter.**


	16. The Talks pt1

"You know when we first landed on this island and you said we all needed to work together." David began once the Jolly Roger was in the air.

"I was trying anything." Emma shrugged.

"Well, to be honest I didn't think it was possible. A hero, a villain, a pirate…that we could all be united but we were because of the most important piece of the puzzle, a leader."

She knew what he was trying to tell her but still didn't see herself as a leader. She was just doing what she had to do.

"I'm just glad that we were all able to work together to get Henry home." She replied and then added. "To get all of us home."

Home. That word felt so good. For seventeen years that was all she had wanted. And she finally had one but it was taken away from her. Now she had one again, with her son, her parents, friends, and Neal, even if it couldn't be on romantic terms. And then she turned behind her and saw Hook at the helm. He was part of her family too, always had been.

"You know, this father thing is tricky business." David stated and she turned back to him. "Part of me wants to challenge Hook to a duel for kissing you. But the other part is sort of glad he remembers because I just want you to be happy."

"Even if it's with a pirate?" She asked, still not believing what he was saying.

"Well, like I said. I didn't think it was possible for all of us to work together but I was wrong. I also thought a pirate couldn't possibly have any honor but I think I was wrong about that too." He admitted. "Now, don't get me wrong. I still think you should give Neal a chance since he is Henry's father and he cares about you. But I'll accept your decision if you choose Hook."

"Thanks, Dav…" She began as she gave him a hug and his hand held the back of her head as you would a baby just like he always did.

"Thanks, Dad." She whispered just loud enough to hear and she felt him tense in surprise.

For so long she had held back saying it. She wanted to after a while but she was scared and she hid behind excuses. Saving Henry being number one but he was safe now and she couldn't find any other reasons to hold back. And calling David, Dad, felt just as good as it did to say they were going home.

"Don't thank me yet, kiddo." He stated and pulled back just enough so they could face each other. "I might approve of your choice, whoever he is. But I still have nearly thirty years of overprotective dad things to make up for."

The teasing was clear in his voice. But the look on his face told a different story. She could see the wateriness of his eyes and the expression of love on his face. It had meant a lot to him to finally hear her call him that and she was glad she did. The look on his face alone was worth it.

"No matter who you choose, Emma, you're still mine. You'll always be my baby girl." He told her with a little tremor in his voice.

"And I wouldn't want it any other way." She smiled and he did as well before leaning down a little and placing a kiss atop her head.

CS

"Hey, Mary Margaret, can I talk to you?" Emma asked as she stood in the doorway of the galley. She had followed her down there when she finally decided to get food for herself after feeding the Lost Boys.

"Of course, Emma, you can tell me anything."

"Okay. It's about what you said in the cave. I…"

"Oh, Emma, I know what you're gonna say and it's not true. Not even for a second!" Her mother quickly interrupted her. "I promise if I have another baby it will never replace you and I will not love you any less."

She was grateful that she had put a few of her fears that still lingered in the back of her mind to rest. But that's not the reason she was here.

"But you're grown up." She continued. "You have a son, two men that love you, and a whole town that believes in you. You don't need me."

"Yes, I do." Emma told her firmly. "I may not need you to teach me to tie my shoes, pack my lunch and make sure I did my homework, or tell me to make my bed. Well, actually that last one might be true."

They both shared a brief laugh because she definitely wasn't a morning person and making the bed was the last thing on her to-do-list.

"But when I first arrived in Storybrooke, you were my friend. You were the first person I ever really had 'girl talk' with. I know I can tell you anything and I'll always need that no matter how old I am or whoever else I have in my life. I know I've resisted letting you be a mother to me and I'm sorry for that. I didn't want it at first and then I did but I was scared. I used Henry as an excuse to bury my feelings. But he's safe now and I don't feel scared anymore. In fact I haven't felt this happy and safe since…"

"Killian?" Her mother asked knowingly with a smile despite her watery eyes.

"Yeah." She nodded and gave her mom a very similar smile. She hadn't realized until then that there were tears welling up in her eyes as well.

"You know, you told me the basics of your story. How you met, you spent a year together, that you fell in love, planned to marry, then how you left. But you never really told details, just facts." Her mother pointed out.

Yeah there was a lot she didn't tell her. The main thing being that they didn't just plan to marry, they actually had. But she kept that out because her mother wasn't known for keeping secrets and she was surprised she'd kept as much as she had.

"Well, if you want I'll tell you everything. But there's something else I need to tell you first." She said and then paused and took a deep breath to calm her nerves a bit. "I love you, Mom."

"Emma, I…" Her mother stammered and the tears were freely flowing. "I love you too, honey. So, so much!"

And with a grip that could give her father a run for his money Emma found herself wrapped up in one strong bear hug. She could barely breathe but it was a welcome feeling that she reciprocated as best she could.

"So, do you think Hook has any cocoa powder lying around, Mom?" Emma asked as she wiped away a few of her still remaining tears.

"I don't think it would hurt to look." Her mom shrugged casually but then added in mock seriousness. "But only if there's cinnamon too."

"Oh but of course." She agreed and they shared another laugh.

CS

(Killian POV)

She was flying. The Jolly Roger was flying again. He had burned the Pegasus sail centuries ago and never thought it would be possible to do this again. He definitely preferred sailing on water but sailing through the sky was a peaceful sort of change, especially since it was bringing them back to Storybrooke.

The first time the Jolly flew he was full of curiosity and excitement believing that he was on a hero's journey. That was not the case however and he was relieved when they were flying home and that his brother's life had been spared. Or so he had believed.

This journey was bittersweet as it reminded him of Liam. This whole trip had actually but it was worth it to get Swan's lad back. And he hoped that this trip had a different outcome for David than it did his brother and that the Crocodile held up his end of the deal. Luckily Bae seemed to be able to persuade his father to do the right thing now and again.

That was another bittersweet feeling. He was thankful that Baelfire was alive after all, he had grieved his loss. And it was good for Henry to have a father in his life. But he couldn't help but feel a little resentment that Bae would get to be with Emma and not him. But he knew that that was how it should be, together as a family.

"Beautiful night isn't it, love?" Killian asked when Emma came up from below deck and she nodded. Her sudden presence drew him away from his melancholy thoughts. "Though, I have a feeling you didn't come out here to admire the stars."

"I couldn't sleep." She admitted and stood against the railing across from where he stood at the helm.

"Well, it's just me and you out here. Care to tell me what's on your mind, love? Or should I do all the talking like I did the first of many nights we shared similar to this?"

"I wouldn't mind a little déjà vu." She shrugged.

"Come here then, lass." He said and motioned with his hand to join him.

"Let's see, if I remember correctly, you couldn't sleep because you were still unsure of yourself in my world. So I decided to show you the stars because they're always there, constant and familiar, wherever you are. Now Neverland has stars that are unique to the island but there are two that can find elsewhere." He said and then wrapped his right arm around her and pointed to the sky while keeping his hook on the helm. "And they are Polaris and the Northern Cross also known as…"

"Cygnus which means swan." She finished for him. "I remember. What I don't remember is you having your arm wrapped around me when you first showed me all those years ago."

"Well, how about we rewrite history then tonight, love?" He asked her and pulled her a little closer and she surprised him by not rejecting him.

"I'd say that's fine with me. But first I want to know a little more about this history of yours. Like what happened to you, after I was gone?" She asked quietly.

"That's a sad tale, love, and I wouldn't want to mar the happiness of rescuing your lad with it. But I know you well enough that you're too stubborn to be reasoned with so I will tell you." He said and he could tell she wanted to object about being stubborn. "But let's enjoy each other's company and continue admiring the stars for a little bit longer shall we."

"Alright." She nodded and then a small, mischievous smile graced her lips. "The stars are beautiful. And the company isn't that bad I suppose."

"Very funny, Swan. I'll remember that later on when you want to steal a sip of my rum." He teased and she rolled her eyes.

CS

Month 1

 _"How do you know all this?" Swan asked him one night when she couldn't sleep and he started pointing out different constellations in the sky._

 _"Well, every sailor is taught these things. Some I learned while in the royal navy, but most of it I learned from my brother when I was just a lad." He told her with a hint of sadness. It had been awhile since he'd spoken of Liam._

 _"You were in the royal navy?" She questioned him with a raised brow. "And who's your brother? Davy Jones?"_

 _"Funny, Swan." He said sarcastically. It wasn't the first time he'd heard a joke about being related to Davy Jones and he was sure it wouldn't be the last. Most of the time he'd threaten to send them Davy Jones' Locker for a remark like that but with her he just rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but my brother's name was Liam. And we served together in the navy. He was captain of the Jewel of the Realm and I was his lieutenant."_

 _"Was?" She asked and then, perceptive as always, it all dawned on her "He died in the navy, didn't he? And that's why you're a pirate now."_

 _"Aye," He nodded and after a few swigs of rum he began to tell her a story that didn't have a happy ending."_

 _"I'm sorry." She whispered._

 _"There are a lot of people I hold responsible for Liam's death. The boy from the island, the king that sent us there, myself, for not trying harder to stop him, and Liam himself even for being so bloody stubborn. But you're the absolute last person I would blame for it, lass." He told her._

 _"Still, you lost someone you loved and I know what that's like. At least I sort of do. My parents left me when I wasn't even a day old. So I obviously didn't know them but the hurt of the loss is still there. I imagine it's even worse for you." She told him and there was no pity in her voice, just understanding._

 _He didn't know why she'd shared this with him; she was usually too guarded to reveal much. But whatever the reason he was glad for it._

 _"You know, where I come from the name Liam means strong-willed and protector. It sounds like he lived up to his name." She commented after a few moments of comfortable silence._

 _"Aye, that describes him very well. And what about you, Miss Swan? Does your name suit you?" He asked curiously._

 _"Stop calling me 'Miss' and maybe I'll tell you." She stated and he chuckled quietly as he nodded. "It means universal. I doubt something like this happening ever crossed my parents mind when they chose that name before abandoning me."_

 _"I imagine not. But whatever your name is, I believe the meaning is very fitting. Perhaps it was your destiny to travel to this realm. I know you're not comfortable here yet, but you will be after you adjust a bit more. Make a few friends when we stop in one the better ports in a couple more weeks." He told her reassuringly._

 _"I think I've already made one." She said quietly and glanced at him briefly before turning her head. He couldn't be sure but he almost thought he saw a blush come to her cheeks. "Thank you, Captain for everything you've done for me so far. You didn't have to."_

 _"Think nothing of it, love. Just good form." He shrugged, not used to the sincere thanks. "But if we're friends as you say then you may call me Killian if you wish, love."_

 _"I don't know. I wouldn't want to show any disrespect, Captain." That's what she said but he had a feeling that wasn't the real reason why. "But friends do trust one another and I find myself trusting you though I have no idea why. So, it's Emma, my name is Emma."_

 _"Emma," He repeated quietly to himself just as he had when he first told him to call her Swan. "It appears I was right. Your name suit you perfectly…Swan."_

CS

"So, where would you like me to start, love?" He finally made himself ask her, after a generous gulp from his flask of course.

"From the beginning usually works best." She replied and patiently waited for him to start telling the story.

"Well, I searched every inch of the ship for you twice from the brig to the bow even though I knew it was pointless. Magic had taken you from me so I decided to seek out the most powerful magical creature of all, the Dark One."

"Okay, I know this was before he killed Milah but why would you go to Gold?" Emma interjected.

"Because he wasn't the Dark One yet. I found the previous one, a man by the name of Zoso." He explained and then paused with a deep sigh. This would not be easy. "But before I could ask for his assistance he told me that I'd never find you again. That he couldn't help me because I'd brought it all upon myself."

"That is not true! Dark Ones lie, Killian." She stated vehemently. "I may not know exactly what happened but it was not your fault."

"Aye, love, I know. But he was partially true. You see he lost his dagger and the man who had it was a nobleman that did business with a lot of royals. And the king that sent me and my brother to Neverland in the first place in particular. He had grown tired of my stealing from his ships and decided that losing my brother wasn't enough. He made the Dark One bring me my true love and let us spend a happy year together. But after that he was to take you away from me permanently. Luckily for us Zoso found a loophole and figured two centuries separating us was just as permanent as death."

Several minutes of silence passed and to say Emma looked shocked would be an understatement. But he figured it looked much like his own when he finally remembered after their kiss. So he stood there quietly so she could have the time to process the wild tale he'd just told.

"S…so you're telling me that I was brought to the Enchanted Forest, from the future, because a vengeful king wanted to take your…true love…away from you?" Emma stated slowly and a bit unsure of her words as her breathing became heavier.

"Aye, that about sums it up love." He replied and noticed that she looked a little dizzy. She started to sway a little and it wasn't from the rocking of the ship. "Swan? Emma!"

* * *

 **Cliffhanger! Sorry not sorry. This chapter was originally wayyy longer but I had to cut it off somewhere and figured, why not there? Part two picks up right where this one left off, and Emma is okay, just in shock and denial. Hope you guys enjoyed this because I know a lot of you were having a hard time waiting for this, myself included. But maybe it made a crappy Monday a little less crappy. Lol if it did then leave a review and I'll be back later with part 2 and how Killian got his memories. And yes it has something to do with true love ;) Thanks for reading you're the best!**


	17. The Talks pt2

"Swan? Emma!" Hook's voice brought her out of her daze.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." She said and took a few deep breaths to calm down and keep from panicking further.

"Are you sure, love?" He asked with concern lacing his voice.

"Don't call me that!" She lashed out. "I'm not…we're not true love. Milah is the one you truly love and spent centuries trying to avenge."

She didn't say it out of jealousy or to make him feel guilty. She just couldn't believe it. It was hard enough to accept that he loved her in the first place. But true love? That just wasn't possible.

"I went after you too, Emma. But then the curse took my memories. And they are restored now if you haven't noticed. So if we're not true love then how else was the curse broken?" He stated and instead of confirming that they were true love she just felt more confused.

"How about you tell me what you're talking about and maybe I'll come up with a more reasonable explanation." She snapped tired of this 'true love' conversation.

"So bloody stubborn." He sighed but she could see the smirk he tried to suppress and that just ticked her off more. "Very well, it was the Dark One. And this time I do mean Rumpelstiltskin. He'd just killed Milah and taken my hand. But just like the king, that wasn't enough for him. He said something along the lines of 'our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them.' Then he cursed me to forget my true love, thinking it was Milah. But it was you that I forgot, until our kiss. Care to explain that, _love_?"

"You're lying." She said as one last desperate plea of denial.

"We both know that you know I'm not, Swan." He stated with his brow raised, daring her to challenge him. "Now, I'm going to tell you something I said some time ago. I won't push you, love. But everything I said is true and I just felt like you should know even if you don't believe me yet."

"You're right; I don't believe that…yet. But thank you, for telling me." She said quietly doing her best not to look at him. "I…I should go check on Henry. Goodnight, Killian."

"Sleep well, Swan." He smiled gently and if he saw through her excuse just to get away he thankfully decided to let it pass.

CS

Despite Hook's words, Emma didn't sleep that well. Sure it was better than sleeping on the ground in Neverland but she still couldn't wait to crash at her parents' loft. First though, there was the celebration at Granny's to attend. But it was a celebration she didn't want to miss. Henry was safe, though acting a little odd but he had gone through so much thanks to Pan. And she had finally called her parents Mom and Dad. So despite being tired and emotionally drained, especially with her talk with Hook still on her mind, she was happy and couldn't think of anywhere else she wanted to be.

Then Neal started talking to her and asked her out, sort of.

"You know when you put it like that…" He began but she quickly cut him off.

"Okay, how about this. You and I grab some of Granny's coffee and we take it out back. It's private and you can come back in here whenever you feel like it and I won't bug you." Neal offered and for reasons she wasn't even sure of, she agreed.

"Fine," She gave in. "But make mine cocoa with…"

"Cinnamon." He finished for her. "Meet you out there."

Emma nodded and walked outside hoping that nobody would notice Neal slip out a few minutes later. Glad as she was to have them, she didn't want to have a talk with her parents about her feelings when she didn't even know what they were.

"So, I know I made it sound like a date, which I would not be opposed to. But there's actually another reason why I want to talk to you. I probably shouldn't even be telling you this because it's only decreasing the odds in my favor but…I talked to Hook."

"What about?" She asked him, her curiosity ranging high.

"He told me he would back off. That he wanted to give Henry's parents a fair shot. I guess he feels guilty for tearing my family apart and doesn't want to do it again." He told her.

"He didn't destroy your family. Your father did." She couldn't help but defend Hook. She still didn't know the full story about Milah leaving Gold but she knew enough. "Sorry, I…"

"No, you're probably right as much as I hate to admit it. But my father's lied about a lot of things so I should have known not to believe him about Hook." He sighed.

"She loved you, Neal. I don't know what finally made her leave but I do know that. There would be times when talking about you was the only thing that made her smile." She told him.

"Wait, how would you know that? Know her? You…" He stammered in confusion.

"I was brought back in time when I was seventeen, just a few days before I met you actually. Hook found me and let me stay on his ship. And one day I met your mother when we stopped at her village for supplies. We made port there often and we were close friends. You were just a kid, younger then Henry, and I only saw you a few times but she talked about you a lot." She explained.

"Well, that explains a lot. You know, with everything that happened in Neverland I didn't stop to question you about how it was possible for Hook to be Henry's father. But once we were heading back I started to wonder and to be honest it puzzled the hell out of me." He told her, and they both laughed a bit at him last comment.

"Yeah, I still can't believe it all sometimes, especially when we found each other again and he didn't know me. Not until I kissed him in Neverland."

"I guess that explains some stuff too, him not remembering. How'd that happen anyway?" He asked out of innocent curiosity but it made her walls come up because it was a question she didn't want to answer. She hadn't even accepted it herself. No way was she telling Neal!

"Centuries had passed since we knew each other. Time fades away and so do memories." She stated coldly, intending to walk back into Granny's.

"Emma, wait!" Neal spoke up and grabbed her shoulder.

"I thought you said you wouldn't bug me?" She questioned him.

"I won't. But there's just one more thing I have to tell you first." He said and pleaded with his eyes for her to listen to him.

"You have a minute." She said and crossed her arms in front of her.

"Okay. When Hook told me he was backing off I was glad. He was no longer in the way and I thought it was for the best because he didn't deserve you anyway. Then I realized that out of the two of us, he is the one that really deserves you. He's backing off to give us, Henry's parents, a shot. But knowing that he is really the father and not me I…as much as I want to be with you, Emma, I can't. I would just be doing the same thing I was told he did to my parents however false that was. And I don't want to be a second place consolation prize."

"So you're what…telling me to be with him?" She asked, a little surprised by his words.

"Not exactly. I want to be with you, Emma. But I think he deserves to know the truth. And I don't want you to choose me just because Hook is avoiding you because he thinks he's doing the right thing."

"What makes you think I'll choose you anyway? I could just keep the secret of Henry's real father between us, let Hook avoid me, and be a single mom along with Regina." She stated to see what his response would be.

"You're right you could do that. But you won't. You want what's best for Henry and that's him having a father in his life, even if he is a one-handed pirate with a drinking problem." He said confidently. "So I'll make it easier for you. Tonight, you talk to Hook and tell him the truth. Tomorrow, we'll be hungry, right around lunch time. That's why I'm gonna come here, I'm gonna sit in one of the booths, and you're welcome to join me. And if not, I'll know your decision and quit bugging you."

"Less than twenty-four hours to make a pretty big decision. Thanks." She said sarcastically. But he had a point. Hook should know the truth. And she hated love triangles so why not just get it done and over with instead of drawing it out painfully. "What about Gold?"

"I think we should keep it from him for a little bit longer. At least until he helps your dad and I can decided whether or not I trust him. And it might be better for Henry not to know yet either."

"Agreed, I can tell he's still shaken up and I think it would be good for him to keep things the way they are. So let's keep this between you, me, Hook." She stated and Neal nodded. "Well, it's freezing out here and I'm ready to fall asleep standing up. I'll let you know tomorrow I guess."

"Tomorrow." He nodded again and walked back into Granny's while she got in the bug and drove to the docks, knowing that Hook had already left the party and wasn't in his room.

CS

"Care for some company?" Emma asked as she came down the ladder into his quarters.

"Swan!" He said after jumping ten feet in the air. She'd have to tease him about that later. "How come I didn't hear you come aboard?"

"Every cannon on the ship could have gone off and you wouldn't have heard it." She stated and tried not to laugh. But she was in no way successful at hiding her bubbling smile.

"Bad form making fun of a captain on his own ship, love. And I suppose you'll want to take some of my rum as well."

"Actually I brought my own." She told him and held up a bottle she'd snatched from his supplies while sailing, or rather flying, back from Neverland.

"Sorry to break it to you, love, but it's still mine since you stole it from me. I think we both know that that bottle is from my store." He smirked.

"You're right this is yours. But it's not stealing since technically this ship and everything on it is still mine. I am still Mrs. Jones after all as you so kindly reminded me." She said trying to continue with the playful mood before the seriousness began.

"I don't that think that applies anymore, Swan. As you said, it was centuries ago and as I'm sure Baelfire told you, I'm backing off. I know I said I'd never stop fighting for you, Emma, and I'll never stop loving you. But as you showed me in Neverland it's not about us, it's about what's best for the boy. And that's for you to be with his father, not an old pirate lover."

"You were more than a lover, Killian." She stated in a tone that told him not to argue with her. "And I appreciate what you're trying to do. It's very honorable and sweet, and even good form. But as good are your intentions are; they've backfired on you."

"What do you mean?"

"In the Echo Caves, to set Neal free, I revealed two secrets. The first wasn't dark enough I guess. Anyway what I told Neal was a secret I had kept since finding him in New York. And I've been keeping it from you since we found each other again. Henry is your son, Killian, not Neal's." She told him and was whispering so quietly by the end of it that you could hear even the calmest of waves against the ship.

"That…Emma, that's not…it's not possible." He shook his head and struggled to get the words out of his mouth.

"Yes, it is, Killian. Think about it. I know the main thing that sticks out in our minds about that night was me being taken away, by a former Dark One apparently. But something happened before we went stargazing. We also spent quite some time right here in this very room that evening."

"Aye, I remember." He nodded and she caught his quick glance at the bed on the other side of the room. "So you think it happened that night?"

"There's no way to know." She shook her head. "But my point was that we were married, you showed me often how much you loved me, and we weren't doing anything to prevent pregnancy. I know it's sudden and I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. But it's not only possible, it's true."

"I believe you, love. But if I thought what you told me in the hospital was tough to swallow then this is…I don't know what to say." He told her and she knew it wasn't often that Captain Killian Jones was at a loss for words.

"You don't have to say or do anything. I just thought you should know." She shrugged and then sighed. "You should have known a long time ago but I was too scared to let you in again. And then Neal popped up and just assumed and it was easier to go along with it than explain our history together."

"I'll be honest; I wish I had known sooner. But I also know that I wouldn't have believed you until now. What I wouldn't give to kill the Crocodile for taking my memories. I feel like I've wasted so much time with you." He sighed.

"Hey, don't think of it that way. We've been separated for over a decade or in your case a couple centuries. What's a few more trying weeks? And now we have even more reason to make up for lost time."

"I see you're taking more and more after you mother. I appreciate the optimism, love, but I don't want to be led on. I know you love Neal now, and all I can ask for is a chance to know your boy better." He said with a calm acceptance but she could see the sadness in his eyes.

"You mean our boy, Killian." She corrected him. "You know my mom told me something in Neverland. I felt like she was pushing me towards Neal. But she said she wasn't. She just wanted me to be happy and I had a chance of that with him and she didn't want me to miss my chance waiting for you to remember. Plus everyone else, you included, think I should be with Neal because he's Henry's father. And it would be easier to go that way. It would be instant happiness and I wouldn't have to reveal my secrets to anyone else."

"But that's not the only advice I've been given. Instant happiness, as good as it may seem, isn't always what we want. I learned that early on from Milah. And I learned from her mother that 'the things truly worth having never come easy.' Things certainly haven't come easy for you and me. And that the rewards always outweigh the sacrifices made to be with one another."

"Aye, both Milah and her mother were indeed very wise women." He nodded with a reminiscent look about him. "And you are too, love. I however am not. Therefore I must ask you, Swan. While your words about happiness and sacrifice are true, what are you trying to tell me?"

"I'm not sure exactly. But I'll tell you what I know. And that's that my heart has been broken, by Neal and by you." She told him frankly. "Twice actually by you if I'm being honest, though neither were really your fault. If you hadn't provoked your king we wouldn't have met at all and Gold only cursed you because you loved me. I also know that someone once told me that 'if it can be broken it means it still works.' I'll admit I'm scared to let anyone in, especially you because I know how much it hurt in the past. And it definitely won't be the easy path. But I trust you, Killian. I trust you not to let that happen again. So what I'm saying is…I want us to have another chance."

"You really mean that, love?" He asked and she could see the hopeful expression he was trying to hide.

"I do." She replied and the second the two words left her lips they were met with his.

"I love you, Mrs. Jones, just as much as the day you first spoke those words. I was a happy man then but that pales in comparison to how happy I am right now." He told her when the kiss ended, only because they need to breathe. And a smile was now very evident on his face.

"You took the words right out of my mouth, Captain Jones." She stated before leaning in for yet another of many kisses to come that night.

* * *

 **So here it is, hope it was worth the wait for some of you that have been desperate for answers. They are definitely True Love (of course) but it will still take a little time for Emma to admit it. Don't worry though Emma won't try to push him away anymore but this is Storybrooke so there are more complications coming their way. But I'll give them a little bit of peace before Pan ruins everything. So lots of fluff next chapter, which is aptly names Quiet Moments, and Killian's thoughts on Henry being his. See you again on Monday!**


	18. Quiet Moments

**Just want to thank Amber611 real quick for reviewing. For some reason it's not showing but I read it in my email. I appreciated it and hope you continue to enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own "Once Upon a Time" or "The Princess Bride".**

* * *

The sun arose the next morning and as always, Killian was up with it. He had heard that every morning you woke up was a good one. But this one was especially good; Emma was lying in his arms still fast asleep.

Last night this beautiful and amazing woman had chosen him, again. They'd spent the rest of the night just talking and kissing, mostly the latter. Sure he wanted more but he didn't want to push his luck too far. She had already given him so much that night without even realizing it. So he was content with just holding his swan in his arms as they fell asleep.

But what stuck out in his mind the most was the truth she'd revealed. Henry was not Baelfire's lad as everyone, himself included, believed. Henry was his. The villainous Captain Hook of the _Jolly Roger_ was a father. And he wasn't the father of just any child but Emma's. He felt like he'd just been given the moon and he didn't know what to do with it.

He wished he had known and that he could have been there for Emma during the pregnancy. Maybe she could have kept Henry that way; they could have been a family. All three of them had missed out on a lot but all the sacrifice had paid off. They were together now. And Killian was determined to do everything in his power to make up for the lost time and make sure he never lost them again.

"Good morning," He said with a smile some while later when Emma's eyes finally opened.

"Can't be good if it's morning." She mumbled and buried her face in the crook of his neck to block out the sunlight.

"Still not an early riser I see." He commented. "Good to know nothing has changed."

"And you're still annoying. I wish that had changed." She mumbled again.

"And you're still a terrible liar my love." He couldn't help but goad her.

"Hook, get that smirk off your face or so help me I will leave this bed for good!" She threatened and it took everything in him not to laugh.

"You are more than free to go, love. But I'll have you know I've never had a woman leave my bed unsatisfied and I don't intend to start now." He replied and gave her a long kiss. "Is it a good morning now?"

"It's not so bad." She shrugged, lying once again.

"Not so bad. You know, as a captain I have a reputation to keep up. And when people in town ask how your morning is I won't have you saying anything less than not bad at all. So would another kiss help make this a better morning for you? Or perhaps some cocoa?"

"I think both sounds pretty good." She smiled and began to lean closer to him.

"Then both it is." He mumbled against her lips just before giving her the promised kiss.

"I'll never get tired of that." He stated as he got out of bed. "But unfortunately I can't give you your promised cup of cocoa as quickly as I did that kiss. As marvelous as the _Jolly_ is, she's not Granny's and there's no fancy water-heating contraption aboard."

"I don't mind the long old fashioned way. Hey, maybe I can even catch a few extra minutes of sleep. And that would definitely make this a better morning." She said with a hint of playfulness before rolling over and pulling his pillow over her face.

"Sleep well, Mrs. Jones." He said and left to get the cocoa from the galley.

CS

"So, does Henry know?" Killian asked Swan a little while later, once she'd had her cocoa and she'd had an extra twenty minutes of sleep.

"No, it's just me, Neal, and now you. And I hate to ask you this. But can we keep it that way? He's already shaken up pretty bad thanks to Pan; I don't want to push him over the edge by telling him his father isn't who he thinks it is. And like it or not, as long as it's believed that he's Neal's son, Gold will protect him. You heard the same thing I did in Neverland and I don't want to put Henry in danger if Gold's reason for not killing him is thrown out the window."

"You're right, I don't like it." He sighed. "Though as usual, you're right, love. I won't say anything. But I still want to get to know the lad better. Things are finally calm and I want to make up for lost time with him, as well as you. I think I deserve that much."

"You deserve much more actually, and I'm sorry for the way things are. Probably not how you imagined things being when we were finally together." She said and he could see the guilt on her face.

"There's nothing to apologize for, love. You're doing the best you can for Henry. I'm sure he appreciates it and I love you for it. We will be the happy family we've always wanted, Swan. One day, I promise." He assured her as he wrapped his arm around her.

"I can't wait." She sighed, in contentment not sadness, and rested her head against his shoulder. "And you can spend as much time with Henry as you want. I know for a fact that he's been dreaming about another chance to sail your ship."

"Another chance?" He questioned curiously.

"Yeah, Neal showed him how when we sailed back here from New York."

"You mean when you stole my ship in New York after leaving me behind yet again." He corrected her.

"I don't think it counts as stealing when I'm married to the captain." She counter argued him. "And that's beside the point. We were talking about you spending time with Henry. And I don't think anyone will suspect anything. They'll just think my boyfriend is trying to bond with my son."

"Boyfriend?" He asked, slightly insulted by the term. "I thought I was your husband, Mrs. Jones?"

"You are." She stated and placed her hand on his cheek reassuringly. "And while you know that and I know that, the rest of Storybrooke doesn't. And while I don't mind you calling me Mrs. Jones in the privacy of your ship, I wouldn't go around calling me that anywhere other than here. And definitely not in front of David! He's finally coming around a little and I don't want him to explode with anger."

"As you wish." He consented and gave her a kiss to seal his words.

"Just so you know, I still love it when you say that." She commented and leaned her head back down on his shoulder.

"Ah yes, one of your movie references isn't it? Do you still believe I made up the story I told you of my meeting the Dread Pirate Roberts?" He asked as he recalled one of their centuries old conversations.

"I don't know what I believe anymore. But considering who my parents are and who I'm married to, I guess your story might be true. Maybe if you tell me again I'll have a different opinion. Plus I want to hear the latest version. You've had centuries to embellish it after all." She said with a teasing grin.

"You wound me, love." He stated in mock pain as he clutched his hand to his heart. "But I've never been able to deny you anything, have I? Well, I guess here goes then. I first met him when I was just a lieutenant…"

CS

Month 9

 _"As you wish." Killian replied when she asked him for some tea._

 _They were sitting together in his quarters while she mended a shirt of his. He insisted that she didn't have to do that but she was stubborn and wanted to put what Milah's mother had showed her to good use. But even in his cabin, nights out at sea could still be chilly and even he wasn't opposed to drinking tea now and then instead of rum on such nights._

 _"What's that look for, love?" Killian asked her._

 _"You said I love you." She smiled._

 _"I always love you, Emma, whether I say it or not. This however is one of those rare times when I did not say it." He told her, feeling a bit confused._

 _"But you did. You see there's a mov…book in my land called The Princess Bride. Obviously there's a princess whose name is Buttercup. And there's a farm boy named Westley. He loves her but he doesn't say it. Instead he says 'As you wish'. One day she figures out what it means and that she loves him too."_

 _"Sounds like a lovely story. This farm boy wouldn't happen to become a dreaded pirate would he?" He asked, wondering if her story was about the same man he'd encountered twice._

 _"Yeah actually he does, the Dread Pirate Roberts. How did you know?" She nearly demanded._

 _"For once it seems a story in your land is accurate. I've met the Dread Pirate Roberts twice." He informed her with a slight chuckle. How wrong her realm got some of the stories._

 _"What? How is that possible? He doesn't take prisoners and never leaves anyone alive!" She yelled out and he could hear a hint of fear in her voice even though he was standing in front of her perfectly fine._

 _"Aye, but he never attacked my ship." He pointed out. "And the first time I met him he wasn't Roberts. I was just a lieutenant and we came across a ship that was in need of assistance. He and I were mending some broken boards on deck and we were talking as we worked. He told me he was going to a new land and when he had earned enough he was going to send for the woman he loved."_

 _"You're making this up." She accused him._

 _"I assure you I'm not, love. Westley was a good man and even as a dreaded pirate he believed in good form as I did." He told her. "Now, the second time was not long after Liam's death. We were docked in Florin and my men were in a tavern. But I was walking along the docks trying to clear my head and literally ran into him. I immediately recognized him, as Roberts not Westley, and thought I was a dead man. But he recognized me as well though he didn't show it. Instead he told me to follow him to his cabin and out of shock I decided to follow him."_

 _"You're telling me the great Captain Jones was afraid of the Dread Pirate Roberts?" She teased him with a mischievous smirk._

 _"I said was shocked, there's quite a difference, love." He corrected her. "Besides I'm a survivor, and I wasn't going to change that fact by foolishly challenging him."_

 _"Well, I'm glad you survived." She said. He had no doubt she was glad but he knew she didn't quite believe him. "Now, tell me what happened once you were in his cabin."_

 _"He asked what was weighing on my mind so heavily. I was apprehensive but I sensed something about him that made me trust him so I told him. Then he removed his mask and revealed to me who he was. I was shocked once again and he began to tell me how he became the Dread Pirate Roberts, quite clever if you ask me. We talked for some time and he gave me some advice since I was still new to pirating while he had been at it a few years."_

 _"So you learned how to be a pirate from the Dread Pirate Roberts himself? Killian if you actually want me to believe this story you try making it believable. I'm your fiancée, not a drunk in a tavern that you tell exaggerated stories to." She told him._

 _"I know exactly who you are, love." He stated and kissed her to prove his point. "You know very well that I'm not lying. Though I didn't learn how to be a pirate from him as I already was one. He just gave some insight on the tricks of the trade. We talked well into the night and that was the last I saw of him. But a few years later I was in Florin again and heard that he'd taken the princess, his true love, and was living somewhere and that they had a daughter together."_

 _"That's a nice story with a happy ending, but I still don't think I believe you." She stated._

 _"Well, maybe you'd believe me if I took you there and you could hear some of the stories for yourself." He suggested._

 _"I don't doubt that Westley and Buttercup are real people. I just don't believe that you actually met him twice." She corrected him. "But I wouldn't mind going there. It would be nice to actually be somewhere that I've read of. Maybe as our honeymoon trip?"_

 _"As you wish." He said and smiled at the thought of making her his wife and being at sea only with her for three whole weeks._

CS

(Emma POV)

"Did Neal send you?" She asked her dad when he walked up to her.

He had texted not long ago saying he wanted to talk to her. Considering it was a little after lunch time she had a good idea what he wanted to talk about. She was reluctant to leave Killian but she figured she should get it done and over with, she'd made her choice.

"No, he has no idea I'm here. But when I saw him sitting at a table alone, I wanted to make sure you were okay. You also didn't come home last night. You're mother told me not to worry but we all know I'm still your over-protective dad." He said and sat down beside her.

"Oh I know." She nodded emphatically. "But I promise I'm fine. Now, Henry on the other hand…"

"He went through a lot in Neverland. But I wouldn't worry about him. We're all recovering." He said and then changed the subject back to her. "And if you're fine how come you didn't show up for lunch with Neal?"

"Are you sure this is about lunch with Neal and not just about keeping me away from Hook?" She questioned him.

"You think I'm interested in Hook? Emma, I'm a married man." He replied.

"Dad, I'm serious." She said although she didn't sound it since she couldn't help but laugh a little. "But now is not the time for this. We were talking about Henry. I just can't shake the feeling that something bad is still gonna happen and I need to do everything I can to stop it."

"Emma, if you think like that you miss out. There's more to life than just looking for the next fight. You know you got to look for the moments." He told her, back to being serious. "And I know what you're thinking. But yes, life is made up of moments, good ones, bad ones, but they're all worth living."

"Well, I seem to be a magnet for the bad ones." She stated. Sure she had had several good moments with Hook lately but she couldn't be completely happy until she knew what was bothering her son.

"All the more reason to look for the good moments in between the bad ones."

"And you think having lunch with Neal would be a good moment?" She asked him.

"I don't know. Does he eat with his mouth open?" He said jokingly.

"Thanks, Dad, I appreciate the talk. And I'm sure Neal appreciates your efforts even if he doesn't know about this. But I've made my choice."

"Emma, are you sure about this?" He asked cautiously but he didn't flat out say he didn't like it.

"Yeah, I am." She nodded and gave him an assuring smile.

"I think I'd still prefer you to choose Neal. But it's your choice and if Hook makes you happy then I'll respect that decision." He said and gave her a hug to back up that statement. "And if I'm being honest Hook's really not that bad. He did save my life and he loves you. But don't ever tell him I said that."

"I won't I promise." She laughed as she pulled away but still sat closer to him. "Speaking of saving your life, did Gold…"

"He did. Don't worry, Emma, I have no intentions of leaving you ever again." He assured her and placed a kiss atop her head. "Now, how about lunch? And I don't mean with Neal. I mean you, me, your mother, and Henry at the loft. And the pirate can come too if he wants."

"That's sounds nice. But didn't you already eat? I mean how else would you have known I sort of stood Neal up if you hadn't gone to Granny's for lunch yourself?"

"Emma, I've heard your stomach growl twice in the last five minutes. You're coming over whether you like it or not." He stated and gave her a really good 'I'm your father, don't argue with me' look.

"Okay, you win." She gave in. "Think Mom can make a grilled cheese as good as Granny?"

"Well, we can certainly find out. Come on I'll give you a lift to Granny's so we can pick up Hook." He stood up and motioned to where he'd parked his truck.

"Actually, he didn't stay in his room at Granny's last night. He's right over there on his ship right now." She told him nodded towards the _Jolly_.

"He's on his ship? Wait, does that mean you spent the night with him?" He practically demanded. "You know what, don't answer that. I don't want to know. I really don't want to know."

"And I really didn't want to know what you and Mary Margaret were up to after she and I got back from the Enchanted Forest." She replied, it felt wrong to call her mom when talking about that incident. "But don't worry. Nothing happened and I drove here in the bug so I can get us to the loft if you'll stop by and grab Henry for us."

"No problem, I'll see you…and Hook in a little bit." He said and gave her one more hug before he left.

* * *

 **So I've finally given some fluff in the present, hope you enjoyed that. It felt good to right this after the tough parts in Neverland and you can't beat the connection to _The Princess Bride_. There will be another fun mention of that later if my plans for the story go the way I think they will. Speaking of plans, next chapter will be titled Sweet Sorrow. Yes, it's in reference to Shakespeare and yes, they will be sent to the Enchanted Forest. I know some have been wondering about that. But it's not all bad and some good comes out of Henry's false memories which will make for some nice original scenes. Lol I've said too much but I'd love to hear any theories you have and hopefully you still want to read the next chapter!**


	19. Sweet Sorrow

**Just wanted to start this off once again with a thank you to those that reviewed last chapter. I did read them even though I couldn't respond to all of them. Each one was appreciated none the less. But thankfully the site is working now so I'll be able to thank you guys a little more for your reviews on this chapter. Hope you all enjoy the chapter but quick warning, some tissues my be required by the end of this.**

* * *

Emma never found out if her mom's grilled cheese was as good as Granny's or not. She never even got to the loft. Instead she ended up at the town line with her parents, Gold, and Belle.

Pan's shadow had freed itself from the _Jolly Roger's_ sail somehow without her or Killian detecting it. That meant Pan was controlling it even from inside Pandora's Box. So the plan was for Gold to release him on the other side of the line and she would end him once and for all.

That was the plan but this was Storybrooke. Pan was released and she pointed her gun at him, ready to pull the trigger. Then he spoke.

"Mom?"

"What?" She snapped and Gold told her to just shoot him.

"Wait, don't. Please, I'm Henry." Pan begged. "Pan, he switched our bodies."

She didn't believe him and Gold kept telling her to shoot him. But her superpower wasn't detecting any lies and Henry hadn't been himself since returning to Storybrooke. So she told 'Henry' to prove it and he listed off a bunch of things. But the others weren't convinced yet though she on the other hand was beginning to believe.

"Pan might know facts but life is made up of more than that, there are moments. He can't possibly know all of them" She said, repeating what he dad had said earlier. "The first time you and I connected, you remember that? Not met but connected…Where was it?"

"My castle, right after you came to Storybrooke." He answered, so far so good.

"And what did you say to me?"

"That I knew why you gave me up."

"Why?" She asked almost breathless, hoping he would get this one right. So that she could know without a shadow of a doubt that this was really her son.

"Because you wanted to give me my best chance." He told her and she knew then that it was Henry.

She put away her gun and hugged him with all the strength she had.

"Promise you're not going to incinerate us when we stop over the line." She said to Gold wanting to make sure Henry wasn't in any danger.

He gave a slight nod and they crossed over the line with Pandora's Box in hand. She gave it to Gold while her parents happily embraced Henry. But it was kind of an odd sight considering it looked like they were hugging Pan. Then Gold apologized for doubting and putting Henry in the box in the first place. And as happy as they all were to have Henry back things weren't over yet. Pan was out there somewhere obviously with some kind of plan. And they also had to figure out how to get Henry back in his own body.

But the list of things to solve and worry about only continued to grow. They met up with Hook, Neal, and Tink at Regina's vault to find Regina lying on the ground and that a scroll had been stolen by Pan. And not just any scroll but the one that held the curse that brought everyone to Storybrooke. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what Pan had in mind. But according to Gold she would be powerless to break it this time.

CS

Later she had a talk in Gold's shop with her mother. They both wondered what would have happened if they hadn't had to give up their babies. She could have had a mother and a life with a family that loved her in a fairytale castle with a unicorn mobile. And Henry could have had a normal life with her in Boston not one where he was kidnapped and taken to Neverland then having his body switched with Peter Pan's.

But that wasn't the way things were and she had learned not to go down the path of what could have been a long time ago. All they could do now was return Henry to his rightful body and when he did he would give Regina the scroll and hope she could stop it.

"You know, while we're waiting and reflecting on the past. Why don't we talk of a better past?" Emma suggested to her mom.

"What do you mean?"

"You said that you wanted to know the full story of me and Hook and you're gonna get it. So what do you want to know first?"

"I…I don't know." She sputtered in surprise at the unexpected. "I mean I want to know everything but for now just tell me something good. I could use that right now. But are you sure it's a good idea to talk about that now considering where we are?"

"Probably not but I could use some good right now too." She shrugged and then paused to think of a good story to tell her. "Well, Hook has his one ear pierced as you know. And one day…"

CS

 _"What are you looking for, love?" Killian asked her as she kneeled on the floor with a candle._

 _"I'm missing an earring." She told him and stood up. "Darn it's not here. It probably fell off at the tavern or in the streets and I'll never find it."_

 _"Did it have any special meaning to you?"_

 _"Not really but it is the only pair I have." She shook her head. "And you might look good with only one earring but unless it's a big gold hoop and I've got a bandana in my hair I'd look completely ridiculous."_

 _"You could never look ridiculous, love. And if it's of no sentimental value to you then I'll buy you a new pair or two and take this one for myself." He stated and gently removed the one earring she was still wearing from her ear._

 _"Why? It's not real silver so it's not worth anything." She told him feeling very confused._

 _"You're right. It has no monetary value. And while it may not have any sentimental value you to, it does to me." He answered but she still didn't get it._

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _"Emma, I am going to be gone for some time. And I want to have a piece of you with me while I am away." He replied, finally making a little bit of sense._

 _At the tavern earlier it became known that there was a reward for Killian's arrest. And according to Cogsworth there was a navy ship not far away. She had suggested that they leave at first light and sail away in the opposite direction. And leave at first sight they would, but not with her. Killian was not one to run away from a fight and wanted to seek them out. It would make it an easier win if they attacked the navy ship first he told her. But he didn't want her getting hurt so he would come back for her when it was safe._

 _"Besides a man can't lose when he has a token of the woman he loves with him." He added and replaced the earring he was wearing with her little silver hoop._

 _"Why don't you just take me with you instead?" She asked. "Surely you'd rather have me than an earring."_

 _"Of course I would, darling. But we both know that I can't, love." He sighed. And she did know he was probably right, but that didn't mean she liked it. "But I'll have this, whispering sweet nothings in my ear, reminding me what I have to fight for and come back to. And I shall have nothing but you on my mind every single moment I'm away."_

 _"You better come back to me, Captain." She stated firmly and held him tightly in her arms to remind herself that he was still there, for now. "And if you have to leave you should at least return the favor. Have any jewels you can spare for me?"_

 _"For you, all the jewels of the realm." He replied with a smirk and she rolled her eyes at his pun on the ship's former name. "But I have something else in mind for you."_

 _"What's that?" She asked and watched as he went to his desk and pulled something out._

 _"Close your eyes, love." He said to her._

 _"Seriously?" She asked in a bored tone. But really she was going crazy with curiosity and secretly loved it. Not that she'd ever tell him that though._

 _"Afraid so, Swan. Now, quit being stubborn and close those beautiful green eyes for a few moments." He instructed again and this time she did as he said._

 _She closed her eyes and a moment or two later she heard a soft tune making its way through the room. She recognized it as a song she often heard the crew sing called "Drunken Sailor"._

 _"You can open your eyes now, love." He finally told her and she quickly opened her them to see him in front of her with a small box in hand._

 _"Killian, where on Earth…or in this realm did you find a music box that plays 'Drunken Sailor'?" She questioned in surprise._

 _"You'd be surprised what Cogsworth comes across." He shrugged in reply and placed it in her hand. "I meant to give it to you when we were at sea again, for the nights you can't sleep and it's too cloudy to see any stars. But I believe now is a better time."_

 _"I love it. And I love you." She told him and gave him a kiss. "But I can't accept this, Killian. You shouldn't have even bought it. These things are expensive even where I come from."_

 _"Nonsense." He stated and wrapped his hands around hers so she couldn't give it back. "I've been a pirate for many years, Swan, and I have more gold and treasure then I could ever spend. But I'll gladly try for you. No price is too high for you, love."_

 _"You're too good me, you know that." She sighed. "But arguing with you is pointless."_

 _"Aye, it is." He stated with a bit of a smug grin. "And it's not possible to be too good to you."_

 _"Like I said, I won't argue even though I don't exactly believe you. But thank you, Killian. I'll play it every night." She promised._

 _"I won't be gone forever, Emma. And I'm not gone yet so let's not act like it. I want to enjoy this time I still have with you." He told her and gave her a kiss. "I love you, Swan."_

 _"And I you, Captain," She replied and gave him another kiss. "And I you."_

CS

"That was a nice story." Mary Margaret smiled when Emma finished. "And I take it Hook came back alright?"

"Yeah, he did, two weeks later though." She told her mom. "I played the music box every night and he was still wearing my earring in his ear."

"Aww, I wonder if he still has it."

"I don't know. I haven't seen him wear it yet. But he had several then and he's probably acquired more since then." She shrugged. "Anyway, those two weeks were long but worth the wait though. The night he came back, he proposed."

"Really? Oh my goodness you have to tell me how he did it!" Her mom said very excitedly.

"I'd love to, but it appears now is no longer the time." She replied as the guys walked in with the Black Fairy's wand. It was now time to bring Henry back to himself.

"Okay, but this is not over." Her mom stated and then walked over to her dad while she went to sit beside Henry.

Gold explained to Henry what he was doing then Henry apologized for giving Pan his heart.

"No, you're not the one that needs to be sorry. Pan does." Her dad told him, voicing what every one of them was thinking. None of this was Henry's fault.

Gold announced that it was time and she and Regina stood so Henry could lie down and Gold could do what he needed to. Emma found herself standing beside Hook and watched helplessly as Pan's body started convulsing.

"What's happening?" She asked Gold and felt a hand placed on her shoulder to calm her. And she didn't even have to look to know that it was her pirate.

He replied that it was Henry's spirit leaving so when Pan stilled she knew it had worked. Henry was Henry again.

"Let's go find our son." She stated and they all left to find him.

With the help of Granny they did and she and Regina held their little boy as tight as they could. But this happy reunion didn't last. In fact these were some of the last moments she would get to spend with her family.

When Regina took the scroll she collapsed to the ground. And after Gold killed both himself and Pan with his dagger she told them what she saw. The price of stopping the curse was giving up the thing she loved most. Henry.

It would be like Storybrooke never existed and everyone would return to the Enchanted Forest. Except for her and Henry since he was born in the real world and she couldn't leave him alone. She couldn't let him be like she was.

But by staying in this world, she'd never see her parents again. And she didn't even want to think about what that meant for her and Killian. She tried to argue and find another way but her mom and Regina both told her that there wasn't another option.

With her magic, along with Regina's, everyone was suddenly at the town border and her bug was parked right at the line. Henry went and said goodbye to Regina and together they said goodbye to Neal. Next were her parents. She had found them and finally let them in by calling them Mom and Dad, and now she was losing them again.

"We'll always be a family, Emma. But happy endings aren't always what we think they will be." Her mom whispered in her ear as they embraced. "You won't be alone, you'll have Henry. And even though we won't be with you, at least this time you'll know the truth. That we love you, Emma, and we always will."

"I love you too." She said to her then removed herself from the hug and moved towards David. "I love you, Dad."

"You're mother's right, Emma. I'll always love my amazing little girl." He said and squeezed her hard while still holding the back of her head. "And I know things seem bad right now. But we're a family and this family always finds each other. It's…"

"It's what we do." She finished. "I know that but…"

"No buts, Emma. We're the heroes and we'll find a way to make this right. Just hold on to that." He assured her and placed a kiss on her forehead.

She moved to the side so that her dad could bend down and say goodbye to his grandson. She watched and felt more tears come to her eyes. He didn't deserve to lose so many people that he loved and loved him so much as well.

"Swan," Killian called to her and she almost didn't turn around to face him.

Every goodbye she said was hard, but this was the one she dreaded most. But she did. Last time they didn't get to have one at all and she always regretted not saying I love you one more time or one last kiss. But now that she had that opportunity she didn't know which event was worse.

"That's a fine vessel you captain there, Swan." He said after a glance to her car. Whether he was trying to lighten the mood or hid his feelings behind his joke she didn't know. Probably a little bit of both.

"You're wearing it." She commented when she saw the silver hoop in his ear.

"Aye, I've kept it in my pocket since my memories returned. I figured it would be appropriate for the occasion." He told her. "There's not a day will go by I don't think of you."

"Good," She deadpanned. She wanted to say so much more but words failed her at the moment.

"Emma, I…" He began and then trailed off. Apparently she wasn't the only one at a loss for words. "Its bad form not to return something to its owner and it's about time this made its way back to you."

She was a little puzzled by his words but then understood as soon as she saw it. He'd reached into his long leather coat and pulled out her music box.

"How did you…and when?" She stammered in surprise.

"I asked a favor of Tink and she got it for me while the rest of us returned to the Crocodile's shop. Like last time, I planned to give it to you under different circumstances. I figured with everything going on it might calm you to listen to it and remember a better time. But once again it has become a parting gift."

"Thank you, Killian. I'll play it every night." She said with a little laugh but it came out as more of a sob.

"Don't cry, love. It might have taken a couple hundred years, but I found you. And I'll find you and Henry again this time." He promised and brushed away a few tears that managed to spill over her cheeks.

"Just don't take so long this time." She stated in a whisper.

"As you wish." He whispered as well in reply and gave her a kiss. It was desperate and filled with longing. Both of them were trying to make the other one feel what they couldn't say.

"I love you too, Killian." She said and tried her best to give him a smile and squeezed his hand.

She wanted to freeze time and stay in this moment with him forever. But the curse was coming fast and she had to leave. She gave his hand one last squeeze and then headed towards her car. And that's when Regina intercepted her, and delivered the biggest blow yet. It would be like Storybrooke never existed. And that included their memories of the town, finding her parents and Killian, everything. It would all be gone and she wouldn't even know what she was missing.

* * *

 **I'm cruel and I know it. Really sorry not sorry for this. But hey we know Hook will keep his promise to find her and things will be ok eventually. Next chapter, Survivor, will show Killian dealing with losing Emma both in the present and past. That was a really fun one to write and I hope you enjoy it next Monday. I also hope you enjoyed this one despite the sad, bittersweet ending. But the year will only last two chapters so there's already a light at the end of the tunnel!**


	20. Survivor

"Tried the hero thing, didn't take." Or at least that what he told Swan's parents.

Truth was it did take, because Emma always made him a better man. With her he was more than just a pirate. But once again she was gone and he was left alone in his misery. And this time there was no Milah to pull him back from the darkness. Not the same darkness he plunged into after her death but the kind you fall into when there's no hope.

CS

 _"Killian?" He heard his name and looked up to see Milah standing in front of him looking confused. "Why didn't you tell me that you'd arrived? And where is Emma? It's been so long since I heard from her. And how come you're here in this rundown place instead of Lumière's?"_

 _"Lumière wouldn't let me drink this much." He slurred a bit then took a generous sip of rum from of his tankard._

 _"Forget about him, Emma will kick you out of her bed if she finds you this drunk." Milah reprimanded him._

 _"Well then, it's a good thing she won't ever find me." He stated and was about to wave someone over to refill his drink when Milah stopped him._

 _"I think you've had enough, Captain." She said firmly. And he might be drunk but he still knew better then to argue with stubborn women like her. Like Emma._

 _"Perhaps you're right, love. Are you now going to make sure I get back to my ship safely?" He suggested._

 _"What has gotten into you?" She demanded and for a moment he thought she might slap him for his comment. "Did you and Emma have a fight? Is that why you're here alone getting drunk and trying to make a pass at me?"_

 _"I would never betray her like that!" He stood and shouted at her in a moment of drunken rage. "She may be gone but I will never stop loving her."_

 _Sure he spent most of his nights in taverns and drinking himself to sleep since his visit to the Dark One. But he'd made a vow to Emma, to be faithful to her 'til death. Even though she was gone she was still alive wherever she was._

 _"She's gone? As in…" Milah asked in surprise but didn't finish. Probably fearing the worst._

 _"She's back in her land where she belongs." He sighed and sat back down. The slur in his speech lessening as his somber conversation with Milah was sobering him up a bit._

 _"What? No, she wouldn't. She loved it here. She loved you." She shook her head._

 _"She did." He stated. "But not by choice. She was taken by the bloody Dark One. He took my wife, my love, my home, my everything…my Emma."_

 _"Come on, Captain, let's get you back to your ship." Milah said gently after a few minutes of shared silence. "But keep your hands to yourself."_

 _"Aye, lass," He nodded._

 _The walk to the docks was silent and it didn't take long to reach his ship._

 _"I'm truly sorry, Killian." Milah whispered then kissed his cheek. And with that she turned around and headed back to the village and he stumbled aboard his ship and was asleep before his head hit the pillow._

CS

The search for the _Jolly Roger_ was slow going. But he did manage to round up some of his crew and return to his old lifestyle. But it wasn't the same, and not just because he was missing his ship. When his men chipped in and paid a lass to spend the night with him he walked out of the tavern with her for show. But once outside he paid her as well and told her to say that she had a grand time. Usually he'd never turn down a woman but that was the one thing he couldn't go back to.

Emma was the only woman he wanted. Despite his attempts to return to his old life without her and making everything appear fine on the outside, he still missed her incredibly. And Henry too for that matter. He didn't think it would be possible, but it hurt even more than last time. He had accepted his fate then and drank himself into oblivion until Milah put a stop to that. But this time he was alone in his secret misery, or so he thought.

He was walking through an alley when he was struck from behind. Once again a lass was holding a knife to his throat, just not the one he was hoping it be. The lass, Ariel, told him he was going to pay for what he'd done and then ordered him to his feet. He had no idea what he could have possibly done but he did know that this situation brought about another familiar, and might he add a bit unpleasant, one.

CS

 _"Get up you git!" He heard a voice yell at him, waking him from his sleep the next morning. "Sun's been up for over an hour now."_

 _He didn't even have to look to know who it was that had given him his rather rude awakening. None of his crew would ever dare such a thing and Emma was gone, not that she would ever do such a thing to him either. That left one person._

 _"Milah, I…"_

 _"Don't you even think about giving me excuses, Jones." She cut him off. "Something tells me that wasn't the first night you drank yourself stupid. And it's going to stop this instant. From now on you are going to be sober from sun up to sun down. Do you hear me?_

 _"Aye, I hear you alright." He groaned. "Mind not yelling at me until this bloody headache passes?"_

 _"You deserve it if you ask me."_

 _"I didn't." He grumbled._

 _"And we both know Emma would say the same thing if she were here." She continued as if he'd never spoken._

 _"But she's not here, Milah. That's the whole bloody point!" He yelled and stood up swiftly. But he almost immediately regretted both actions. If it weren't for years of experience, especially of late, he would have been retching off the side of the ship._

 _"No, the point is you've been moping around for the past three months since you found the Dark One. And don't try to deny it, Jones, I spoke with a few of your crew." She stated and added the last part before he could even open his mouth to protest. "Now, Emma is gone, yes, and most likely just as heartbroken as you are. But do you think she's doing what you are now? No, she's out there surviving because I know Emma and there isn't a stronger, more resilient, person alive."_

 _"So, what's it going to be?" She demanded. "Are you going to keeping drowning your sorrows in rum and self-pity? Or are you gonna gather your crew and go out there and return to the pirate scoundrel that Emma fell in love with?"_

 _"It's not the same." He mumbled and closed his eyes as he leaned his head further against the wall._

 _"You're right, it won't be the same. Nothing will be for you or for Emma. But what do you really want to be, Killian? A washed up drunk that one day will no longer be able to handle the duties of captain? And then you'll truly have nothing. Or do you want to be a survivor and try to do Emma proud?"_

CS

Hook didn't really expect anything to come of his encounter with Ariel. He thought he'd tell her she was mistaken, scare her a bit for his reputation's sake, and then let her go. But luck was suddenly on his side. She gave him the information he needed to finally find his ship. He took the dagger she had held to his throat and ran back into the tavern.

"Rise and shine you bilge rats." He announced as he entered. "No offense, Mr. Smee."

"None taken. I keep dreaming of cheese." His first mate replied then noticed the look on his face. "What is it?"

"I know who has the _Jolly Roger_ and we're going to take it back." He told him.

"Who's funeral shall we be attending, sir?" Smee asked with enthusiasm.

"Blackbeard." He said after driving the dagger into the table. And he watched as Smee's enthusiasm quickly faded.

"But he's the most cutthroat pirate ever to hoist a sail…" Smee began but stopped when he received a dangerous look. "After you of course."

"Which will make it all the more satisfying when I take my ship back and make him walk her lovely plank." He stated.

"Let's not be hasty." Smee cautiously whispered. "We've been having fun robbing carriages, getting rich from it too. May…maybe we should forget about the _Jolly Roger._ You said yourself we don't need a ship…"

"She's not just a ship." He told him firmly. What he had said last night was just to keep everyone's drunken spirits up.

"I'm fairly certain she is."

"She's more than that." He told him. "I haven't been myself since we returned and I should have realized the reason why…it's because I don't have her."

"Her? You talk about the vessel as though she's a woman." Smee observed. And he was right, not that he'd ever admit that to him. He missed his ship for sure, and he definitely preferred sailing to riding horseback, but in truth it was Swan he was speaking of.

"Women come and go, Mr. Smee, but a pirate's life…it's forever." He said emphatically. And it was partly true. He'd always be a pirate at heart, but he'd give up the lifestyle in an instant to finally have a happy life with his swan.

And that's exactly what he would do in a way to get back to her. But there were a few more stops along a very long road before that happened.

"Still, Captain," Smee began and shook his head. "I doubt we can even find Blackbeard."

"Don't be a coward!" He yelled at the ex-rat. "I know where he mores his vessels. It's less than a day's trek. And then I'll have my ship again."

"And I will have my prince." A feminine voice announced and he turned to see Ariel standing beside the table, tall and confident.

"Few people have held a dagger to my throat and lived to tell the tale." He informed her, trying not to think of his 'first' encounter with Emma. "I'd leave before I change my mind."

But she was a bloody stubborn lass and somehow he found himself trekking through the woods with her following him. And he found that she was just as annoying as she was stubborn, especially when she started speaking as if he was a hero and not a pirate. She'd heard stories of his latest adventure in Neverland and believed that he had changed.

And she was right, he had. He'd fallen in love with Emma again and his curse was broken. He'd saved the prince's life and helped rescue Swan's, his lad, from Pan. So yes, for a brief time he'd changed and become a hero. But now he'd changed again. He didn't exactly want to be that same man anymore, but he had to. Once word leaks out that a pirate has gone soft, people begin to disobey and then it's nothing but work, work, work all the time. And there was also the risk of mutiny or any number of other ways his life could be on the line. And if there was one thing he was good at, it was surviving.

CS

"She's even more beautiful then I remember." He sighed when he finally saw the _Jolly Roger_. "Don't worry my dear; you'll soon be back in my loving arms."

"You do realize you're talking to a boat." Ariel pointed out as if he was going mad.

"You have your love, I have mine." He stated a little defensively. His true love was Emma. But if he couldn't have her the _Jolly_ was the next best thing. Most of their memories were on that ship and hopefully her trunk of belongings were still on board. Yes, if he couldn't have the real thing he could at least feel close to her there and treasure the things she'd left behind. Too bad he didn't have a picture of her from the present time like he did the drawings Milah had done centuries ago.

Smee then questioned how they would get aboard with Blackbeard's men guarding it. But these men were no challenge for him. He knocked out the one then boarded the ship with pomp and circumstance, but most of all with authority. This was his ship and he wouldn't rest until everyone knew it.

Blackbeard appeared from below deck, challenging him to take his ship back. Without a second thought he accepted that challenge and a duel began between them. After all, a man unwilling to fight for what he wants deserves what he gets. And the _Jolly Roger_ was what he wanted most, second only to the lady of the ship herself, Emma.

And he won the fight of course, forcing Blackbeard to step onto a faulty board on the deck therefore leaving him at his mercy. But just as he was about to kill the man that stole his ship, Ariel appeared. When Blackbeard saw he was helping her he said called him soft. The nerve of him, calling Captain Hook soft.

"I can either make this painful or quite painful." Hook told him. "Now answer."

And answer he did. He admitted to having the prince hidden away somewhere. But he didn't want money for a ransom. He wanted 'the satisfaction of proving Captain Hook is no longer a pirate.'

"And how are you going to prove that?" He asked him.

There would never be a day when he wasn't a pirate. And he ought to have killed Blackbeard then and there for even speaking those words. But eventually the so-called captain did meet his end. Blackbeard gave a choice which boiled down to the prince or the _Jolly._ He knew the right thing to do would be choosing the prince. But this was all he had left of Emma and Milah as well. It wasn't a hard choice which option to pick. And with that he had Blackbeard tied up and ready to walk the plank.

"You can't do this…please I know that you are a good man." Ariel pleaded. "And I know that man is still in there. It's not too late to do the right thing."

The lass was really getting on his nerves. Mostly because she spoke the truth. But he had to prove to Blackbeard, to the crew, and mostly to himself that he was still a pirate. In Storybrooke everyone would have been glad to see him become a hero and turn things around. But here that would make him soft and a coward, both of which he was not nor ever would be.

"Isn't true love more important than a few planks of wood and a sail?" She asked him.

"She might just be a few planks and a sail but she's mine." He turned to her and stated. "She's all I need."

The first part was true but the second part was only half true. What he really needed was for Emma to be his voice of reason, to tell him to stop this. Not a red-haired, love sick girl that was much too hopeful for his taste right now. She reminded him of Snow but at least Swan's mother knew when to leave him alone.

"Love brings nothing but wasted years and endless torment." He stated coldly. His bottled up anger speaking.

How many years had he wasted chasing the Crocodile for Milah? How many drunken and sleepless nights mourning her, Swan, and his brother? He was angry at himself for loving them so strongly. It was his love for Milah as a friend that brought her to his ship and his love for her as more than that that brought her death. And it was because Emma was his true love that she was ripped from her world then sent back, breaking both their hearts. As well as the promise that he'd never leave her.

He was angry at the Crocodile, the past Dark One, his former king, and most of all Peter Pan. If it were not for him, he would be in Storybrooke with Swan and her…their son. He'd teach him to sail and her to let down her walls and trust again. And Blackbeard wouldn't have stolen his ship and he wouldn't be forced to kill him for it.

But no, once again his Emma, his light was gone and darkness was quickly seeping in. So without hesitation he cut Blackbeard's arm then let their razor tooth friends finish him off.

"The _Jolly Roger_ is _mine_!" He turned and announced to the crew, giving them an opportunity to join him or their former captain.

* * *

 **Okay you guys, seriously? 100+ reviews!? You are awesomely amazing! Especially because it's been rainy and depressing lately in my area so the ones from last chapter were really appreciated!**

 **I had a lot of fun writing Milah again, especially since she was yelling at Killian most of the time. And next chapter (which will be called Can it be?) has one more flashback of them. It was supposed to be in this one but I ended writing more of Killian's thoughts than anticipated. But that's a good thing. And I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and as a thank you for over a hundred reviews, here's a preview of the next one.**

Can it be?

It didn't take long to get everything on the table, not when they were both eager to dig into those pancakes. But just after she and Henry toasted their cups of cocoa, with cinnamon, someone knocked, or more accurately pounded, on their door.

She expected it to be the apartment manager or someone like that, that guy was always angry about something. But never did she expect a guy, a really good looking guy she might add, dressed like a pirate.

"Swan," He said and looked…relieved? when she opened the door. "At last…"

"Whoa, do I know you?" She held out her hand to stop him when he tried to enter. She knew that face as well as his voice. But that just wasn't possible. Was it? That was hundreds of years ago, in another land. He should be long passed away and definitely not in New York.

"Look, I need your help. Something's happened, something terrible, your family is in trouble."

"My family's right here." She stated a bit defensively. Whoever this was just had to be a really good look-alike. They say everyone has a twin out there somewhere. The real pirate she'd known knew that she didn't have a family, except for him and now Henry.


	21. Can it be?

She had slapped him. It wasn't the first time such a thing had happened to Killian and he doubted it would be the last. So it wasn't a surprise to him. What did surprise him a little were Ariel's words. She'd said he was selfish, heartless, and that he'd never be happy. And what surprised him was that it was all true.

Those words had been true for centuries. But for a short time he'd changed and the opposite was true. And now he'd changed again, back to the man he used to be. It was like losing Milah all over. At least the first time he'd lost Emma he'd managed to stay an honorable man and he wasn't too selfish to help a woman that needed him.

CS

 _"You know last time I was so drunk and caught up in my own sorrows, I never stopped to ask what you were doing in such a rundown establishment." He spoke, making his presence known._

 _"Killian!" Milah gasped and looked up but quickly recovered. "Are you going to make a habit surprising me in here like this?"_

 _"Perhaps," He shrugged and sat next to her. "What's troubling you, love?"_

 _"Are pirates the only ones allowed to drown their sorrows in rum?" She questioned instead of answering._

 _"So you admit something is wrong." He stated._

 _"You know of my situation. When is it not?" She sighed and he nodded._

 _He knew of her husband's cowardice reputation and that she suffered from it as well._

 _"Aye, I know, love. But how about we try to change that, even if 'tis only for a night." He suggested, offering her his hand._

 _"And how do you suggest we go about that?" She asked skeptically._

 _"Misery loves company, love. So grab your drink, follow me, and watch as I beat everyone at dice. I might even teach you my secret."_

 _"Emma gave that away long ago. You cheat with loaded dice." She stated but took his hand none the less._

 _"Only if you get caught, love." He smirked._

 _Hours could have passed but it only felt like minutes. He'd won several rounds of dice, couldn't win them all or people would catch on, everyone was in good spirits, and Milah had cheered up considerably. Then her husband walked in and she left when her boy came in behind him._

 _But she came back to his ship the next morning before the sun had even risen._

 _"Thank you for last night, Killian." She began. "I needed that."_

 _"Glad I could be of some help, love." He replied, wishing he could give her more of a reprieve from her monotonous life._

 _"Can't wait to hear the town gossip today though." She stated with sarcasm and bitterness._

 _"Maybe you don't have to. We're setting sail this afternoon. This ship could use a woman's touch again." He offered. He knew she would most likely refuse but he felt like he had to say something._

 _"That's actually why I've come." She admitted, much to his surprise. "I want the freedom and enjoyment I felt last night. I've tried to keep positive and look for the light at the end of the tunnel but I see nothing. Rumple has gone and thrown away any chance of us having a future together. And the two people that managed to make my life a little brighter, Emma and my mother, are disappeared and dead. Now I have no one, except for you, Killian."_

 _"I'm sorry, Milah." He said for both her mother's passing and for her unfortunate lot in life. "But your boy…"_

 _"I know and that's the hardest part of all this. But it's bad enough he's the son of a coward, he doesn't need to be the son of an unfaithful woman as well. I can't stay with that man a moment longer. I love Bae and that's why I have to leave now. I don't want to grow to resent him as I do his father. Or have him hate me one day because his family is in shambles and it's my fault. Please, Killian, it's for the best."_

 _Something told him he shouldn't be doing this. She was married however unhappily and a boy always needed a mother. But he couldn't let her continue to suffer. She'd helped him a great deal during his last trip to this port and she was a good friend to Emma._

 _So a few hours later he found himself face to face with her now ex-husband. Rumors had already spread that Milah was with him and he was glad he had made the decision to let her leave with him so she didn't have to hear them herself._

 _"I do consider myself an honorable man, a man with a code. So, if you truly want your wife back…" He said then dropped a sword to the ground. "All you have to do is take her."_

 _"Go on, pick it up." He stated with his sword at the coward's throat. But he was beginning to think even coward was an understatement. The man just stood there looking ready to burst into tears. "A man unwilling to fight for what he wants deserves what he gets."_

 _"Please, sir," The man begged as he began to walk away. "What am I gonna tell my boy?"_

 _"Try the truth. His father's a coward." He replied coldly then turned his back to him again and continued to walk away._

 _Not long after they set sail. Killian wasn't sure what he expected to happen between him and Milah. At first they were just close friends as they had been. Bonding over their shared grief of lost loved ones, making sure the other didn't get too drunk, and reminding each other that there was good in the world despite all that they'd been through._

 _Then one day he realized that he loved her. It wasn't the same love he had for Emma and Milah could never replace her. At first he felt as though he was betraying Emma, but he knew she never wanted to hold him back and wouldn't want him to spend the rest of his life mourning. And with Milah he was actually happy, something he never thought he'd be again. Perhaps some people were lucky enough to have two incredible women to love and perhaps he was one of them._

CS

If it were almost anyone else that had said those things to him they'd be joining Blackbeard. But he a small part of him admired Ariel for what she'd said and her determination to find her prince despite the death of the only man that knew his whereabouts. But it was because she had something important that he'd lost: hope.

But even the impossible was possible in a magical land such as this. Turns out that hope wasn't lost, it had just been misplaced for about a year.

After Ariel left his ship he gathered some of Blackbeard's crew and some of his own and truly returned to being a pirate. He continued to tell himself that the _Jolly Roger_ was all he needed. And for his crew he kept up the appearance that things couldn't be better.

But every night he drank trying, and failing, to forget the pain that still ached in his heart. He would look through the trunks of Emma's things, trying to feel close to her on those especially long nights when sleep evaded him. He studied the pictures Milah had drawn of them and wished again that he had a more recent likeness of her. So he'd close his eyes and try to remember each and every feature of her soft, beautiful face and eventually he'd drift off for a few hours of sleep.

Then one day it came. Not with a sudden cloud of smoke, or any other magical way. It was a simple bird that brought him the words he never thought would come. Nothing would stop him from getting to his Swan now.

That night he left his crew in a tavern, weighed anchor, and single-handedly sailed like the wind. Pun intended. He had always been proud to call the _Jolly Roger_ the fastest ship in all the realms but now he was truly grateful for it. He was successful in out-sailing the curse, another very impressive thing he could add to his astute reputation.

But more important than that was the fact that traveling between realms was possible again. All he had to do was secure a magic bean. And both fortunately and unfortunately, he knew exactly where to find one. Blackbeard had survived; he suspected Ariel had something to do with that. He truly hoped that she was able to reunite with her prince. He knew he'd done a terrible wrong then but he wouldn't make that mistake again. He would reunite with Swan and bring her to her parents no matter the cost. So he willing traded the _Jolly Roger_ to Blackbeard, despite his unworthiness to be her captain, for the bean.

The _Jolly_ had been his home for centuries and it was hard to give her up. But not as hard as he thought it would be. It hadn't brought him what he thought it would when he got her back. And that was because of something he'd once told Emma. She was his home now and he would give up his piracy and ship in a second to be with her. Now he had his chance to fulfill that promise.

CS

(Emma POV)

"Morning, kid!" Emma cheerfully greeted her son as she stirred the batter for some pancakes.

She wasn't usually in this good a mood so early but there was just something about this morning that she couldn't put her finger on.

"Morning, Mom," He replied with a wide smile and a hug. "Did you get the newspaper yet? I want to read the comics."

"Yeah, it's right over there." She said and nodded towards the end table. "But water the plants first, please."

She heard an 'okay' in reply as she grabbed a few eggs. As she started cracking them she hummed the tune "Drunken Sailor". She didn't have a whole lot of things when she'd gotten out of jail, just a car, a swan keychain, Henry, and a music box. She played it on those particularly lonely nights when she couldn't sleep and it was the only thing that made Henry sleep as a baby. She thought she had lost it some time ago, but somehow it was there when she got out, almost like…magic.

'Really shouldn't have fallen asleep watching _Anastasia_ the other night.' She thought as she shook her head.

"Okay, Henry, time to set the table." She called to him several minutes later.

It didn't take long to get everything on the table, not when they were both eager to dig into those pancakes. But just after she and Henry toasted their cups of cocoa, with cinnamon, someone knocked, or more accurately pounded, on their door.

She expected it to be the apartment manager or someone like that, that guy was always angry about something. But never did she expect a guy, a really good looking guy she might add, dressed like a pirate.

"Swan," He said and looked…relieved? when she opened the door. "At last…"

"Whoa, do I know you?" She held out her hand to stop him when he tried to enter. She knew that face as well as his voice. But that just wasn't possible. Was it? That was hundreds of years ago, in another land. He should be long passed away and definitely not in New York.

"Look, I need your help. Something's happened, something terrible, your family is in trouble."

"My family's right here." She stated a bit defensively. Whoever this was just had to be a really good look-alike. They say everyone has a twin out there somewhere. The real pirate she'd known knew that she didn't have a family, except for him and now Henry. "Who are you?"

"An old friend." He replied. "And I know you can't remember me but…I can make you."

And without a word of warning his lips were on hers. Luckily for her she had knee-jerk reactions, literally.

"What the hell are you doing?" She demanded after she pushed him out into the hallway.

"A long shot, but I had to try. I was hoping you felt as I did." He replied despite the pain he was obviously in and deserved.

"Look I know this seems crazy." He began, coming towards her again even though she'd just threatened to call the police. "But you have to listen to me, you have to remem…"

She slammed the door in his face and promptly walked away from it. This was not what she'd thought would come of this morning. But thankfully breakfast was finished without a second interruption.

Even though he had left her apartment, he had not left her head. A long time ago she would have believed that it could be him. But this was the real world not fantasy-renaissance-land. Granted this was New York where anything can happen and there are people of all walks of life. But magic did not exist here and if it weren't for Henry she probably wouldn't believe she was ever with Killian. Who was most likely dead now because we all go eventually magic or not.

But she finally pushed him out of her mind when nightfall came. She had a date with Walsh tonight and she would not be thinking about the stranger from this morning during it. At least that's what she told herself. And it didn't help matters when he actually showed up while Walsh mysteriously stepped away.

"You!" She jumped when she saw that it was him that had sat down opposite her. "You are a stalker!"

"Don't scream, just hear me out." He said and for some reason she listened. "I don't do this very often so treasure it, love. I've come to apologize."

She hadn't been expecting that. "For kissing me?" She asked as she grabbed her knife to have it at the ready in case he tried something.

"I was simply trying to jog your memory." He told her.

"It's time for you to go. Now." She stated.

He sure was full of himself thinking that his kiss could bring back memories, not that it worked. She remembered exactly who he was, or at least who he looked like. It just wasn't possible and she could come up with a million reasons why.

"Emma, your parents are in great danger." He said and she could hear the warning in his voice.

"You don't know me." She told him when he called her out for being an orphan but that what she believed was wrong.

"Lass, I know you better than you know yourself." He said then reached into his coat pocket. "I have proof."

"Leave now." She said again, not wanting to hear it. And how was an address going to help?

If her 'parents' that supposedly needed her so badly were really in New York she'd know. Sure she didn't feel so lonely with Henry but she still searched for them for several years but eventually gave up.

"Regina really did a number on you." He commented.

"You're a crazy person." She thought and actually said out loud. "Or a liar, or both."

"I prefer dashing rapscallion." He informed her and she glared at him then he added 'scoundrel' to his description.

"What did you say?" She whispered but the demand in her tone was clear.

"I'm a dashing rapscallion as well as a scoundrel. And devilishly handsome I might add." He replied with an annoying grin and a wink.

"Does anybody actually call you that or are you just unbelievably full of yourself?" She asked to test him.

Of all the things he'd said, those two words stuck out to her.

"In two hundred odd years you get called a lot of things by a lot of people." He shrugged. "And some I'd never repeat in front of lady, bad form."

"Liar!" She yelled as loud as possible without causing a scene. "Now, answer me before this knife is stuck in your good hand and I have someone call the cops."

"Let's not be rash, love," He said humoring her and retracted his hand from the table. "Now, as for the truth, it was you, Swan. You were the one that first called me that and I've always been partial to it."

"You're telling me the truth." She whispered, meaning for it to be just for herself, but he still heard. She had been the one to start that and used the term of endearment on many occasions.

"Your superpower tell you that?" He asked. "Yep, I know about that. And if it tells you I told you the truth about that. Then what does it say about the rest of it?"

"Just because you believe something is true does not make it real." She replied after several moments of silence and staring. She wanted to believe it was him, but that didn't mean he was really here after so many years.

"Maybe, maybe not. But I know you, Swan. You sense something's off." He stated as if he could read her mind. She'd had that feeling ever since he pounded on her door earlier.

He told her once again to go to that address, to take a chance, and where to find him. But before he left, he said not to do it for him or even for her, but for her family. She sat there for a few moments, debating whether she should trust him, let alone do what he'd asked.

Then Walsh decided to finally reappear, convenient. But it wasn't long before she discovered what was took him so long. He brought ice cream and reminisced their first date. Then he spun the plate around and surrounded by a swirl of chocolate was a ring.

He got down on one knee but she couldn't say yes.

* * *

 **So now that you have the full chapter, what did you guys think? And let me clarify now that the kiss didn't work because Emma didn't believe it was really him therefore in that moment she didn't love him. Plus having her remember immediately would be too easy. This might be FF but it's still OUaT and you can't have that without drama. When she does though it'll be worth wait and lots of fluff to follow soon. Thanks for reading and for the reviews last chapter, you guys have been great! See you Monday with the chapter I'm calling Steal and Return.**


	22. Steal & Return

When Emma arrived home she found Henry on the couch playing video games. And she decided to sit and play with him, hoping it would take her mind off things.

In classic 'Emma fashion' she ran out on Walsh without giving an answer. She loved him, he was great with Henry, he wasn't a creep or anything, and he fit really well into their life. But things were moving so fast and even though she was happy and finally in a decent relationship she was still scared. Somehow though, she'd ended up with a really patient and understanding guy that was willing to give her time to think. She really didn't deserve this guy.

"So what'd you say?" Henry asked her out of the blue. "To Walsh."

"You knew? How?" She asked.

"Come on, Mom. First date restaurant, special night out, the writing was on the wall." Her son stated and she really shouldn't have been surprised that he was so observant.

"Technically the writing was in the dessert."

"So what'd you say?" He asked again but she didn't answer.

She wasn't about to explain to her kid, as understanding and wise beyond his years as he was, everything that was going on inside her head since Walsh spoke those four little words.

This morning she was so sure something good was gonna happen, probably her subconscious anticipating Walsh's proposal. Then the pirate had to show up and ruin it all. As much as she wanted to blame him though, she had to ask herself. Would she really have said yes if she weren't already unnerved by the pirate?

"Poor guy," Henry said, taking her silence as negative.

"I didn't so no." She told him.

"Well, if you didn't say yes then I stand by my 'poor guy' assessment." He shot back.

"I just need some time to think about it." She said a little defensively. "That's like a big step, kid. We've got a good thing going here just the two of us."

"Yeah, and we'd still have a good thing if it was three of us."

"You think Walsh is worthy of joining our little family?" She asked. She knew Walsh loved Henry but she loved him too. And she would never do anything that he wasn't okay with. Her son came before her future with Walsh and whatever nonsense the pirate wanted her to help with for that matter.

"He's okay." He replied as he tossed a piece of popcorn in his mouth and hit pause. "Mom, not every guy's like my dad. Not every guy's just gonna leave you."

He truly was wise beyond his years. She was glad she got a boy that cared about her instead of a son that hated his mother and wanted nothing to do with her as he grew older. It made her feel lucky and she loved him even more for being who he was.

Years ago she tried to tell him his father was a firefighter that died but he knew she was lying. Truth was part of her wasn't sure Neal was the father. Part of her hoped it was Killian, the real one, not the crazy person that had just waltzed into her life this morning, but that was just stupid wishful thinking.

"But this guy's not that guy. He wants to be with you…us. He wants us to be his home." He told her and she had to admit his words were pretty moving. Always a skill of his and she could see him being valedictorian or something like that one day. "And anyways, I know you like him."

"How?"

"Cause he's the first guy you've dated I've ever met." He stated simply then returned to the game.

"When did you get so wise?" She had to ask.

"Somewhere after level sixteen when I became a knight." He replied and she smiled even though he couldn't see it.

She loved him so much. He deserved a family, to have a father figure in his life, grandparents to spoil him. And that's why the next morning when she saw the paper with a certain address when she grabbed Henry's permission slip, she decided to go there. Walsh didn't have family and the chances of Henry having a younger sibling were…none, so she owed it to him to maybe give him some extended family.

CS

She arrived at the apartment and picked the lock. Judging by the place nobody would notice and if they did they wouldn't care. When she entered she had a sense of déjà vu or something. But why? Then she saw it hanging from the window, flypaper for nightmares. So she had been sent to Neal's apartment for proof, although it looked like he didn't live there anymore with all the dust everywhere.

She looked around but found nothing that gave any leads until she spotted a camera out of the corner of her eye. She picked it up and sure enough, her son's name was embossed on the leather strap.

"But that's…not possible." She said to herself.

But then it also wasn't possible for Killian to be here. Maybe he wasn't the crazy one. Maybe he was really here somehow and telling the truth. Either that or she was the crazy one. She needed answers and was thankful he'd told her where to find him. But she had no intention of telling him that.

CS

"Not good enough, I want answers, real ones." Emma stated.

She had gone to meet the pirate and all he talked about were her parent's, their kingdom, and a curse. It was hard enough for her to come here and accept the remote possibility that her parents were out there. But all this nonsense? Had he been marooned on an island for a couple centuries and gone mad?

"I was hoping Neal's apartment and Henry's…device would be enough proof. But I can see you need more." He sighed and reached his coat and pulled out a ring. "Does this convince you, love?"

"But that's my…how did you..." She stumbled over her words trying to make sense of things.

"I was curious about that myself. But you commented that whatever took you from me, and I know you must remember that, Emma. That it switched our rings because I got this one and you got mine." He told her then reached in again and this time he revealed a simple men's wedding band.

"I did have it but when I got out of jail, it was just gone. I was upset for weeks thinking I'd lost it." She said in a daze as she stared at the ring and memories came to mind of her time right after jail that were a bit fuzzy.

"You didn't lose it, darling, just your memories of it." He corrected her. "You had it when you got out of prison and kept it for about ten years. Then you found your son, Storybrooke, your parents, and eventually me. We were talking of days gone by and you gave it back. Just as I have held onto yours for a couple centuries and am giving it back now."

"No! No rings." She stated and held up her hands to stop him. He obviously wasn't proposing but she was still debating if she would accept Walsh's ring, she didn't need this one added to the mess.

"Swan, if you won't take the ring then what must I do to convince you that…"

"I believe you." She quickly interrupted. "Or at least I think I do. Ever since yesterday morning I haven't known what to think. But if you somehow really are Killian then I don't care how it's possible, just answer me one thing."

"Anything, love," He replied with a hopeful look.

"Was it my fault?" She asked quietly, almost scared of the answer. But she saw the puzzled look on his face and made herself explain. "That I was taken away. Was it because I wished for so long to return home and wasted so much time in the beginning that you and I could have had together?"

"Swan…Emma, it was…"

"Hold it right there, sir." A deep voice spoke from behind them and Emma turned to see two police officers approaching them.

"What have you gone and done now?" She whisper shouted at him.

"Nothing!" He hissed between his teeth.

"Is this man bothering you, ma'am?" One of the officers asked her.

"Not at all, officer. There must be a misunderstanding." She shook her head.

"There's no misunderstanding, evidence is right there." The other officer replied and pointed at the rings still in Killian's hand. "Those have been reported stolen."

"Bloody hell," Killian mumbled as the first officer started cuffing his hands.

"Look, I don't know who reported these rings as stolen but they're not. They're mine and this man was returning them to me. You can't arrest him under false charges!" She argued with them, ready to literally knock some sense into them if need be.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, there's nothing we can do. If you want to go down to the station or the courthouse and sort this out then feel free. But for now, please stand back." The second officer stated and held her back while the other started reading Killian his rights and leading him away.

"Killian!"

"Swan!" He yelled back as he was placed in the back of the car. "Not your…"

She couldn't hear the last word because the officer chose that moment to shut the door. And finally the other officer holding her back let her go and joined his partner. A few moments later the vehicle was out of sight. He was taken from her once again. But at least this time it she could get him back, but first she had to pick Henry up from school.

As she walked home with Henry and listened to how his day went. She tried to pay attention she really did, but the scene from the park wouldn't stop replaying in her mind. Not your, not your, not my what? Then it clicked. He was telling her it wasn't her fault.

"Mom!" Henry called to get her attention. "Did you hear what I said?"

"Sorry, kid, I…"

"No, it's okay. You have a lot on your mind with Walsh. I understand." He nodded. "Which is why I also might have sent a text to him from your phone this morning."

"Wait, you what?" She asked and came to a dead stop just a few feet from the gate outside their building.

"He's coming over at eight and I arranged to sleep over at Avery's so the two of you could be alone." He replied innocently. "It's okay, Mom, if your gut's telling you to marry him, trust it."

She wasn't sure what her gut was telling her about Walsh. But her gut was telling her she needed to get Killian out of jail and hopefully he could make sense of this for her now that she had come to her senses and believed him. But she didn't want to expose Henry to all this insanity.

"Crap, I forget to pick something up." She stated suddenly, hoping he'd buy it, and sent him inside.

CS

'If I didn't believe before, I'd have to know.' Emma thought to herself as she waited outside for Killian's release. She'd gone and gotten the film developed from Henry's camera and found pictures that shouldn't have existed but they did. What other explanation was there for pictures of places and things she didn't remember other than her pirate's crazy theory. Judging by his clothes, he hadn't had a chance to adapt very much to this place so she doubted he planted a camera in the apartment with photo shopped images.

"Hey, we need to talk." She called out to him when he finally walked outside.

"Swan, I knew you wouldn't let me rot in that cage. I've been in my fair share of brigs but none as barbaric as that. They force fed me something called bologna." He ranted as he came towards her.

"I almost forgot your love for dramatizing things." She said sarcastically. It wasn't that bad. She had to admit it wasn't her favorite either but growing up in the foster system taught her real quick to eat whatever she was given.

"So you really do believe me?" He asked with an unsure look.

"I believe in our past together. But the rest it…my life here is real and it's a good life, Killian. If I believe you then that means I have to leave it all behind and go to some Story Creek or Bay whatever the town's name is. For a family that gave me away and only wants me now because they need something from me." She told him.

"First off, love, the town is called Storybrooke." He corrected her playfully before giving her a more serious reply. "And I know you think you have a good life here, Swan. But your life in Storybrooke, despite the large amounts of chaos in such a small town, is better than anything you can imagine here. And your family does want something from you. To be reunited with you and their grandson. They love you, Emma, so much so that they gave you up to protect you. To give you a better chance in life, just like you wanted for Henry. But you already know all this, you've forgiven them, and you have a happy life with your whole family, not just you and Henry. And don't try to tell me he's all you need because clearly you sense something is missing and you're trying to find it with fellow you were at dinner with last evening. But you won't find what you're looking for with him, Swan. The answer is here and all you have to do to remember that is to drink up, love."

"What if it doesn't work?" She demanded. "Or worse, what if I can't help them? Why should I risk failing when things here in New York are safe and…"

"All lies." He interrupted her. "You may have a good life here, but it's too good because it's not real. I won't lie to you, your real life was a hard one until you found Storybrooke and even now things aren't always easy. But the things truly worth having never come easy, love."

"Where'd you get that from a fortune cookie?" She snapped sarcastically because he was breaking through her walls and taking away all her excuses. But the truth was she knew where he'd gotten that last statement from. Milah's mother, a woman wiser than she could ever hope to be and it was one of the truest things she knew.

"I don't know what that is so I'm going to ignore that." He said, matching her attitude. "Now, be the strong Emma Swan that I know you are and trust your gut because it'll tell you what to do."

"Henry always says that." She commented with surprise.

"Then listen to your boy." He said and she finally took the little blue bottle he was offering.

It was for Henry that she had checked out that address in the first place. And now for Henry she was drinking this potion or whatever it was. He still deserved a chance at a big family and a real life, not a supposedly fake one. So she took out the cork, closed her eyes, and down the hatch it went. And moments later when she opened them…

"Hook?"

"Did you miss me?" He asked with his signature, over-confident smirk.

"I…" She breathed trying to grasp what had just happened. Was this what it felt like when he regained his memories in Neverland? But she quickly gathered her wits. "I should say no just to spite that cocky ego of yours."

"You wound me, Swan." He mocked her and held his hand to his chest.

"Want me to kiss it better?" She asked sarcastically.

"You sure your memories are back, love? Because you should know that you never have to ask such a thing." He teased her.

"Shut up you aggravating pirate." She stated and kissed him with all she had, having a whole year to make up for.

"Just as extraordinary as I remembered." He hummed quietly when the kiss ended, both of them needing air.

"Killian, I…"

"You have a hundred questions I'm sure." He finished for her. "But I think somewhere more private would be better suited for such a conversation."

"You're right." She nodded. "Henry is staying with a friend so my place should be private enough."

"I certainly hope so." He replied suggestively.

"You just had to say that didn't you?" She sighed with a hint of annoyance as she began walking towards her apartment which was thankfully only a few blocks away.

"Well, it has been thirty or so years, love. And I'm about to spend significant amount of time alone with the most beautiful woman in all the realms. Can you really blame me, love?"

"Killian, I know of your well-earned reputation with woman. Do you really expect me to believe that you've gone thirty years without seeking some pleasure?" She stopped in her tracks and turned to face him.

"It's actually not as impossible as you believe, Swan. Twenty-eight of those years were spent frozen during the curse. After that I wasn't about to risk losing my chance at the Crocodile by ruining my cover as a humble blacksmith. Then a beautiful blonde in a red leather jacket held a knife to my throat and even without remembering, I've never wanted anyone else since."

Those first twenty-eight years didn't count in her opinion. Nevertheless she knew he was telling the truth. That meant during the past year, while he refrained from certain activities with the countless women that must have made passes at him; she had been oblivious and spent several nights with Walsh. Oh great…what the hell was she going to do about Walsh? She should have known not to get involved with him. Now she had a big mess on her hands and she wasn't even in Storybrooke yet or heard what she needed to save her family from.

* * *

 **Emma remembers everything! That was the return part of the title and the steal was referring to the rings. Those haven't been returned yet but I have something special planned with them later on. And t** **his chapter didn't have too much CS as it was mostly Emma's thoughts. But I gave you a kiss didn't I? And next chapter from Killian's POV is all them in her apartment. It'll be called Fine Line as in the fine line between love and hate because...well read to find out. But I promise it won't end with them fighting or anything. So thanks for reading and reviewing, review this one, and see you later this week.**


	23. Fine Line

The walk to Swan's place was a silent one, both of them thinking of what just happened. Hook couldn't even begin to express how grateful he was that she remembered. During the last year he knew she wouldn't remember him and that thought had hurt. But it hurt a hundred times more to be standing in front of her with her having no idea who he was. And he had no bloody clue how she dealt with him for the weeks he spent not remembering her. He was grateful she was able to remember in less than forty-eight hours. And he made up his mind to apologize for ever forgetting and causing her pain when the moment was right.

However there was only one thing Swan wanted to hear when they arrived at her place. And it was not an apology. So he told her what he knew, though it wasn't much considering he didn't stay with the Charmings for long. And she wasn't surprised to hear that.

"There wasn't anything for me in the Enchanted Forest. Why would I stay?" He replied and hoped she understood the deeper meaning of his words. That it was her he was really missing.

"You came all the way back here to save my family?" She asked skeptically.

"I came back to save you. I made you a promise, Emma, to find you and Henry again. And as you can see I kept it." He replied.

"Thank you, Killian," She said gave him a small smile, the first one he'd seen so far and it made him smile a bit as well. "And I'm sure Henry would thank you too if he remembered."

"Aye, unfortunately I only had even of the memory potion for one. Which is why I was hoping True…" He told her then caught himself. In the past she denied it was True Love's Kiss and he didn't want her to shut him out for mentioning it now. "the kiss would bring back your memories so I could give it to the lad. Why didn't that work by the way?"

"For the same reason it didn't work when I kissed you on the beanstalk. You didn't know who I was and you were still in love with Milah, not me. This time our roles were reversed. I saw a total stranger trying to kiss me, hence the…sorry about that." She explained and they both cringed at the memory of what she'd done when he tried to kiss her.

"It's alright, love, I can't blame you for defending yourself. Plus I don't believe there was any permanent damage." He said and couldn't resist giving her a suggestive look to which she rolled her eyes at. "Too bad we never discussed this before or I would have known to make you fall in love with me again. Or would that have been in vain because you're in love with the man that stood you up at dinner last night?"

"He didn't stand me up, Hook. He left to make arrangements for a surprise then he came back and pro…" She argued then trailed off. Out of curiosity to find out her little secret, he raised his eyebrow and silently asked for her to continue. "He proposed."

"He…he asked for you hand?" He asked slowly, in denial of what he'd just heard.

"Don't worry I didn't answer, I ran as usual." She sighed.

"Well, you didn't run when I asked, something which I am very thankful for, Mrs. Jones." He grinned; relieved to know that even with cursed memories she hadn't accepted. And now that she did remember, surely she wouldn't accept.

"You asked me on a boat! There was nowhere to run." She snapped.

"First off, the _Jolly Roger_ is a ship not a boat. I thought we cleared that up some time ago." He corrected her teasingly before turning serious. "And are you saying you would have run had I proposed on dry land? Did you say yes because you felt forced to?"

"Now you're putting words in my mouth! I never said that or implied it. Maybe it's your subconscious talking. Do you feel like asking me was a mistake?" She yelled and demanded an answer.

"The only mistake I ever made was listening to the bloody Dark One and not trying harder to find you." He stated emphatically. He wasn't yelling like she was but the angry was still there. How could she even think that?

"Who knows, maybe if I had you wouldn't have been locked up thanks to Baelfire. And you mightn't have ended up with him in the first place if there was no void to fill. You could have had Henry in a normal hospital and kept him. We could have a life together outside Storybrooke with no memory curses or any other magical problems. The normal life that you so desperately want, but never get and I can't seem to give you." He fantasized after a moment to calm. He'd give anything to have a peaceful, quiet life with Emma and Henry.

"Killian, I…" She began more softly but was interrupted by a buzzing noise.

"Who's that?" He asked, wondering if Henry had come back earlier than planned.

"Walsh. Henry invited him." She told him and he moved to get rid of him. Swan was his and he would make sure this guy knew that. But Swan stopped him, saying that she needed to do this.

He nodded his head in agreement but only because he didn't want to start another argument. So he sat at the table and intended to finish off the bottle of rum. But then he heard something odd and knew something wasn't right. He ran up to the roof of the building and found Emma looking over the edge.

"Swan, what in the blazes was that?" He asked as he ran over to make sure she was alright.

"A reminder that I was never safe." She stated. "We leave in the morning."

She went back down to her apartment and he silently followed.

"Swan, what…"

"It's been a long couple of days, Killian, and we have a long trip tomorrow. Get some sleep." She interrupted and left the room.

He sighed and finished off the rum that was still in his glass. It was obvious that Swan wouldn't be inviting him to share her bed. He supposed sleeping on the couch wouldn't be too bad. So he shrugged off his coat, placing it on the back of the chair, removed his boots, and laid down. His neck would probably be killing him in the morning but he'd had worse.

"The couch pulls out you know." Swan stated suddenly reentering the room and startling him a tad. He hadn't expected her to return until morning.

"The couch what?" He asked in confusion.

"Get up." She instructed and placed a stack of cloth she'd been carrying on the table. And he watched with amazement as she removed the cushions and pulled on a bar until a mattress appeared. She also unfolded one of the blankets and stretched it across.

"You can do the rest." She stated and handed him another, looser blanket as well as a pillow. "And you can sleep in these. Bathroom's through that door."

"Thank you, love," He said as he looked at the modified couch, that looked much better for sleeping on.

"Don't mention it." She waved him off and began to walk away but then paused. "Oh and don't talk to me tomorrow before I've had my coffee. Okay?"

"Wouldn't dream of it. Although I'm sure you'll still be featured prominently." He assured her and couldn't help but send a wink her way. As usual she rolled her eyes and this time she didn't turn back once she'd walked away.

Once he heard her bedroom door slam shut he grabbed the night clothes she'd provided and headed to the bathroom. He finally understood what Swan had been talking about all those years ago and found he missed the convenience of it over the last year. He changed into the outfit and found they resembled what Swan had been wearing the morning before when she'd opened the door except larger and solid navy blue. Usually he just wore an old shirt or nothing but he didn't want to upset Swan and these clothes were certainly more comfortable than night clothes in the Enchanted Forest.

He finished in the bathroom and lied down on the couch now turned bed. This was certainly more comfortable than the regular couch but not quite as soft as the mattress on the _Jolly_. Still, it didn't take long to doze off. But during that time when you're not asleep but you're not exactly awake either he felt something, or more accurately someone, shift next to him. He wanted to open his eyes and make sure he wasn't just dreaming that Swan was there beside him. But he didn't dare move, even when she wrapped her arm around his middle.

"I'm glad you're back, Killian." She whispered almost too quietly for him to hear, probably because he wasn't meant to.

Shortly after that he heard her breathing change and knew she was asleep and it wasn't long before he finally fell asleep as well, with a smile on his face.

CS

Killian woke up the next morning just as the sun was rising. The windows of Swan's apartment provided a stunning view but it paled in comparison to the view beside him. Emma was still asleep and during the night they'd ended up even closer together. He wanted to hold her in his arms like this forever but he wasn't sure what her reaction would be this morning if she found herself in such a position. So he held her for a little while longer, enjoying the feeling he'd been missing for the past year, before he forced himself up and took a shower. Hers worked a little differently than Granny's, but he eventually got it working. And by the time he was finished Swan was just waking up.

"Granny or Ruby ever teach you how to make coffee?" Swan questioned him as she ran a hand through her hair and looked as if she could fall back asleep instantly.

"Sorry, love, but no." He replied and gave her a sympathetic smile. "I'd be glad to learn though. Or I could make it the old fashioned way if you have a kettle."

"No offense, but I don't have patience for that right now. And my way's faster than waiting for water to boil." She stated and pushed herself up and headed toward the kitchen.

Even though she said she didn't have the patience to teach him, he still watched closely, though from a distance. And he felt confident that he could make her much needed morning beverage next time. Just push a button or two, put in a container that looked like those little creamers in a dish on the counter at Granny's except bigger, place a mug underneath, press another button, then out came the coffee. It was over-complicated in his opinion but it was indeed faster. And if it could satisfy his swan sooner then he'd gladly use the contraption.

"Henry will be here in about an hour, but I'm too tired to figure out what I'm gonna tell him." She said as she sipped her beverage. "So, just…go along with whatever I come up with when the time comes, okay?"

"Why don't you just tell him the truth, love?" He asked her. "He was the one to figure out the town was cursed the first time. And Pan wanted his heart because he is the truest believer. If you tell him the truth he's a lot more likely to accept it than you were."

"I thought I told you not to talk to me until I had my coffee." She snapped.

"Swan, it was you that started this conversation, not I. And you're drinking it right now." He pointed out and he tried to hold back a laugh at how absurd she could be early in the morning.

"Well then, if I started it I can finish it." She stated and marched into her bedroom, slamming the door.

He sighed to himself, would they ever have a civil conversation anytime soon? But while she was hiding in her room, he set himself to work and copied what she'd done and made a cup of coffee for himself. It was a little weaker than he normal liked but he was too proud of himself for making it successfully to care. But it didn't really surprise him; Swan didn't care for coffee and only drank it to wake herself up. After that it was nothing but cocoa and he wouldn't be surprised if she came out of her room with her coffee finished and ready for a cup of her favorite drink with cinnamon.

Thankfully she must not have been too mad at him because it wasn't too long before she emerged from her room fully dressed. As predicted she began making cocoa, and from the same contraption as the coffee. But he noticed the top of the little container was a different color than the one used to make coffee.

'So that must be the one that held the cocoa powder instead of coffee grinds.' He noted in his mind.

"I want to be ready to leave when Henry gets here. I started to pack some of my things last night so I don't have too much more. I also need to pack some of Henry's things." She stated with her back to him as she opened one of the cabinets. "Did you bring anything with you that you need take? And are you driving with us or sailing the _Jolly Roger_ back to Storybrooke?"

"The _Jolly_ isn't here, love. And all I brought was myself, the vial for your memories, and the rings." He sighed a little, missing his ship. But then something occurred to him he hadn't thought of with everything that had happened. "And speaking of those, do you know what happened to them after those officers took them from me?"

"They were returned to their owner." She said still not looking at him. "Here, I don't have time to make breakfast so eat this. It's cinnamon raisin bread. And if your ship isn't here then where is it?"

"Thanks, love," He said and took the plate of bread she offered. "My ship is in the Enchanted Forest. Curses work different than magic beans. And I'm sorry to tell you this, Swan, but your superpower has failed because whoever told you that our rings were returned to the owner lied."

The rings had certainly not been returned to him and Swan would have told him if she had them.

"No, Killian, they were returned to their owner. Or at least someone that told the police that he was the owner." She replied cryptically.

"I don't quite follow you, love." He told her admitting his confusion.

"Walsh. He was sent here to watch me for someone. Probably for the person that cast this new curse. And part of his job must have been to keep me from remembering because he got angry and turned into a…he changed after he said he wished I hadn't drank the potion. So that's probably why he told the police you'd stolen his rings, because he was afraid they would make me remember."

"Bloody hell," He sighed and reached inside his coat for his flask.

"Yeah, that about sums it up." She stated sarcastically as she stole his flask from him after his more than generous swig.

"I'm sorry, Killian. It's my fault the rings are gone, you lost your ship, and once again we can't even enjoy a reunion after so much time apart." She whispered and gave him back his flask. And once again she walked away.

But this time he followed her, into Henry's room as she threw random things into this land's equivalent of a trunk.

"Swan,"

"Hook, I can't! Henry is gonna be here soon and I need to…" She yelled and he could see how watery her eyes were.

"You need to listen to me." He stated and gripped her shoulders to keep her from trying to get away from him again. "None of this is your fault, Emma. I don't care about the rings, we'll find them. Even if we don't, it's just a symbol of our love not the real thing. And my ship, it could be waiting for me at the docks in Storybrooke for all I know."

The last part was a lie and he knew it. Not that he wanted to, but he was afraid she'd run if he told her that particular truth. But the rest of it, now that was true, every word of it.

"As for our less than ideal reunion, well, we'll only count the time you remembered. But as it's just the two of us, I'd say this still counts as part of our reunion. And you won't find me opposed to the addition of more amazing moments to the story of how we found each other again." He told her, going from serious to slightly playful and grinned in a way that he knew drove her crazy.

"More like you found me." She corrected him but with a smile.

"Aye, and I always will, Swan." He told her and gave her a long kiss that they were both very much in need of.

* * *

 **As promised, even though there was a short argument CS is still good. BTW shout-out to guest reviewer** CShipper **for guessing that Walsh reported the rings stolen. I have a special plan for them coming up since obviously Emma and Killian are a lot closer in my version and she's definitely not denying her feelings. So see if you can guess what that means ;) Also thanks to my other reviewers and readers. Keep it up and I'll see you Monday where things pick up where this one leaves off titled** **Bonding, as in father-son bonding. (Hint Hint)**


	24. Bonding

"Mom, I'm home." Henry announced as he opened the door and let it slam shut. How many times had she asked him not to do that?

"Hey, kid, how was your night at Avery's?" Emma asked him as she zipped up the last suitcase. "Have you had breakfast yet?"

"It was good and yes, I ate." He replied.

"Are you going somewhere? Is Walsh taking you some…" He began when he saw the luggage then he glanced towards the couch and realized. "You're not Walsh."

"No, a… Walsh wasn't what…who I thought he was." She said slowly, unsure how to tell him without letting too much slip. "He um…there was something he was hiding from me. Something that…I know you liked him, Henry, but he's not worthy to be part of our little family like we thought he might be."

"What…what was he hiding? Are you sure it was a bad thing?" He asked trying to be hopeful and it reminded her of all the times he tried to find good in Regina, and even Hook.

"I'm sorry, kid, but it's not something I'm ready to talk about." She told him as she knelt down to his level and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. She hadn't even told Killian yet except to mention the rings.

"It's okay; I know you just want what's best for us. And if you say that Walsh isn't it then I trust you. And as long as you're happy." He told her with a little smile.

"Thanks, kid." She smiled as well. "Now, we're gonna go on a trip to help someone. And this…this is…"

"Killian Jones. I'm an old friend of your mother's." Killian stated as he got off the couch and walked over to the kitchen where she and Henry were. "I came here to ask your mother for some assistance."

"Hey, that's my name." Henry told him, looking pretty excited. "Henry Daniel Jones Swan. Mom said it was after someone special. That must be you. Right?"

"It is?" Killian asked curiously, she'd never had a chance to tell him that. "Jones is a popular name in this land I'm told. But I did know your mother for some time many years ago but we lost touch before you were born. Though, I suppose I could be the one lucky enough to have you as a namesake." Killian told him.

"Wait, you knew my mom, lost touch before I was born, and I have your last name. Does that mean…are you my…my dad?" Henry asked, connecting the dots she never thought he'd pick up on just from a name.

"Aye, lad," Killian answered before she could even think of what to say.

"Why? Why are you here?" He asked him then turned to her. "I thought you said he didn't know, that he didn't deserve to? He left you, why are you helping him?"

"Henry, I'm sorry I…"

"I want answers, Mom, not apologizes. What's really going on? Is he why you're not marrying Walsh?" He cut her off.

"Killian, can you give us a minute?" She asked him and he nodded sympathetically. "Come on, Henry, I'll give you all the answers you want."

Together they went to his room and she sat on his bed but he sat at his desk. He was angry with her and she couldn't blame him.

"Henry, first of all I want you to know that Killian is a good man. And second, I'm sorry for lying to you because I was lying to myself. He didn't set me up, it was…his partner." She told him trying to make up a believable story that was still consistent with what he knew. And Neal had sailed with Killian for a while right?

"How do you confuse the pirate wannabe with his partner?" He asked skeptically and she had to laugh at his description of Killian.

"I didn't confuse them, kid. It was just easier to blame your dad than feel the pain of losing him. I tried to find him again after I was released but I couldn't. I lost hope and gave up. But I never stopped loving him, not really. And that's why I couldn't say yes to Walsh, it wouldn't have been fair to him." She said even though she didn't care about Walsh's feeling at all. But she couldn't tell the kid he was turned into a flying monkey.

"So, Walsh proposes and you say no at the exact same time that my long lost dad shows up. That's convenient." He stated, not believing her. He didn't exactly have her superpower, thankfully, but he still knew when something wasn't right.

"It's not like that, Henry, despite how it looks." She shook her head. "I was angry at him too for showing up. We had a big fight last night and we didn't come out and say it, but that's what it was about really. After we calmed down we had a real talk and I found out his side of things."

"What lame excuse did he give? Amnesia?" He asked sarcastically and she had to fake a coughing fit to keep from laughing at the irony of his words.

"Um, no. You see, the reason I couldn't find him was because he's not from here. He's from…Ireland. And you can only be in a country for so long without being a citizen before you have to go back to your country. So he went back to Ireland and he couldn't come back here until about a year ago. He moved to a little town in Maine, became a citizen here, and made some friends that are good at finding people and they helped him find me."

She was surprised at how real she made that sound and Henry seemed to actually believe it. But of course he still had some questions.

"He was already on the run from the law. So why didn't he just keep running and stay in the country and wait for you to be released?"

"The reason his partner set me up was because Killian and I wanted out. We were tired of the running and we wanted to settle down and have family. We just didn't realize you were already on the way. But his partner was afraid that we might anonymously tip off the police so he arranged for me to take the fall and told Killian that I'd left him. He didn't believe it though and that's why he went back to his home and set his life in order so he could find me and we could finally have the future we wanted."

"If he did all that for you then why didn't he come back sooner? That was well over ten years ago."

"Well, it took a few years before he could come back. But when he was ready he…" She was starting to run dry on lies that would be believable. But an idea came to her that would kill two birds with one stone because she still had to explain Killian's hand, or lack thereof. "He was in an accident a few years back. He didn't lose his memory but he did lose his hand and had a bunch of other injuries. He spent a year or two in the hospital and a rehab center. It was several months after that before his doctor would let him travel, especially out of the country. But he's here now and that's what matters despite the crazy timing."

"Am I supposed to instantly like him, call him dad, play baseball on Sunday afternoon, and feel sorry for him because he's been through just as much as us?"

"No, kid, neither of us expects that." She told him honestly and then decided to lighten the mood a little. "Especially the part about baseball."

"Really? The guy's been back in your life for a day and you're already making hand jokes?" He said trying to be sarcastic but she could see the smirk he was trying not to show.

"Hey, he started it." She stated defensively and laughed a little thinking of the first joke Killian had made while she had him tied to a tree. "He prefers humor over pity."

"You never laughed like that about Walsh." Henry observed. "You really care about Killian don't you?"

"Yeah, I really do. But, Henry, I care about you more than anything else. Killian wants to get to know you, make up for lost time. And that's why we're going to take this trip, to spend some time together and also to help the people that helped him find me. They're in trouble and I feel like we should lend them a hand since they helped us. But if you're not comfortable with this then…"

"No, it's okay. I'm not passing up time off from school." He stated. "And I'm sorry for getting so upset. Maybe I judged him a little too quickly."

"Don't be. I should have told you a long time ago and I'm sorry that I didn't. You take all the time you need to process this. But don't take your time getting ready. I want to leave in about ten minutes. I already packed your things but if there's anything you want that I missed go ahead and grab it."

"Okay, I'll be ready. But where are we going?" He asked curiously.

"Storybrooke. Storybrooke, Maine." She told him then left the room and headed straight for the hall closet. There was one more thing she needed. Her red leather jacket, she hadn't even realized how much she missed it. But she felt more like herself again and felt like she could face whatever waited for them in Storybrooke with it on. And as long as Killian was by her side as well.

CS

(Killian POV)

"So, what should I call you? Killian, Mr. Jones…Captain Hook?" Henry asked about half hour into their ride.

So far, this was the longest he'd ever been in one of these moving contraptions. Except for when Greg and Tamara brought him back from New York but that didn't count. It wasn't so bad but he was more nervous than he'd admit and was grateful for the conversation to distract him.

"Killian will do, lad. But out of curiosity, why would you think Captain Hook?" Killian asked him. He had told Swan he wouldn't tell the lad truth about what they were doing or who the people in Storybrooke really were. So how had he figured it out?

"Well first off, you are dressed like a pirate. Second, mom told me you lost your hand so a hook would seem fitting. But I will admit, you don't look anything like Captain Hook which I think is a good thing."

"Aye, I've never seen this so called Captain Hook. But from what I've heard I very much agree with you." He stated with a bit of indignation.

He still didn't know what a perm was and he wasn't sure he ever wanted to. From what he understood, this world had completely destroyed his image. But according to Swan the original book wasn't so bad; it was the bloody movies she was always referencing that had done the damage.

"You mean you've never seen any of the movies?" The lad asked with disbelief.

"Killian's old fashioned, kid, doesn't own a TV. Prefers the solitude of sailing for relaxation." Emma thankfully answered for him.

"You know how to sail? Do you have a boat?"

"Aye, I've been sailing all my life." He replied with a proud smile. Glad he had been able to peak the lad's interest.

Henry hadn't known the truth before the curse so they'd never gotten the chance to bond or anything. And now the lad was barely tolerating him. He knew Swan was weary about restoring his memories but he hoped they could. Not just because the Henry before the curse looked up to him but because if they were to be a family, he wanted a future based on who they really were, not cursed memories.

"Unfortunately I don't have my ship at the moment. It's…being repaired and won't be able to sail for some time I'm afraid." He sighed.

"That's okay. Storybrooke is on the water, right? We could probably just rent a boat. After we help your friends of course. And what do they need help with anyway?"

"Um…I'm not sure exactly. I didn't find out there was trouble until after I left to find you and your mother. I just received a message asking me to come back and help if I could." He answered hoping that Henry wouldn't more details.

"Oh. So do your friends dress like pirates too or are you just some eccentric secretly rich person or something?"

"Henry!" Swan reprimanded their lad. "There's nothing wrong with the way he dresses."

"Of course you'd say that. With all that leather you guys are the picture perfect couple. I wouldn't be surprised if you told me you met trying to steal the same leather jacket or something." He mumbled sarcastically and it sent both him and Emma into a fit of laughs.

"Bad form making fun of your elders, lad." He teasingly scolded him. "And for the record I met your mother when I rescued her from drowning."

"Drowning? But mom's a great swimmer?"

"Aye, but she's also stubborn. She was swimming despite warnings not to because of the weather making some particularly rough waves." He lied smoothly.

"Hey, I am not that stubborn." Swan stated defensively.

"Oh yes, you are." He and Henry simultaneously told her in a firm tone.

"Great, less than a day and you two are already ganging up on me." She sighed with irritation but he could tell she secretly loved it. And he did as well. Whatever family moments that could get he would take.

CS

Month 5

 _"Liam taught you a lot of things, didn't he?" Emma commented on night when it was raining so they were curled up together in his cabin._

 _"Aye, I learned a lot from my mother as well. But I was so young when she passed that Liam took it upon himself to teach me since my father never bothered."_

 _"It was probably more fun learning from your brother than an adult. I used to hate reading when my teachers made me. I thought that people that read for fun were out of their minds." She stated and he nearly laughed at the thought. "I know what you're thinking, Killian. And yes, I love reading now. But that's because I discovered a book on my own that I wasn't forced to read and I found I actually enjoyed it."_

 _"I know what you mean. I much preferred learning from Liam than having the captain yell instructions at me that I didn't understand." He agreed. "And what book was that that so drastically changed your way of thinking, love?"_

 _"A kids book that…it's actually about Neverland and Peter Pan." She told him hesitantly._

 _"Why the bloody hell would a children's book be written about that monster?" He demanded._

 _"I already told you, Peter Pan isn't the same in my world and there's nothing about Dreamshade. But what made me like the book was actually Captain Hook. In my world there's also a movie about him. In that he's portrayed as an annoying coward but in the book, he's still scared of somethings but at the same time he's a fearless captain, believes in good form, and in a way gets the last laugh on Pan. That intrigued me and I've been hooked ever since."_

 _"So, you have a thing for pirates in general, not just me." He said with mock disappoint. He knew the truth of how she felt for him but it was still fun to tease her about it._

 _"I said Hook was intriguing, but you…you're pretty incredible." She assured him._

 _"I am rather incredible, aren't I?" He asked rhetorically with a wide smirk that earned her quite the eye roll from Swan. "But I was kind of hoping you'd say irresistible."_

 _As he spoke he began leaning towards here and hardly a second passed between the end of his statement and the beginning of a very passionate kiss._

 _"I considered it." Swan told him when they broke part. "But your self-confidence does not need any boosting."_

 _"Perhaps you're right. Of the two of us, it's you that need it, not I. Have I told you how beautiful you look this evening? Because you are. You're the most beautiful and amazing sight this pirate has ever laid eyes on. And I assure you I've seen a great many things in my travels." He said with so much sincerity in his tone he was almost afraid it would scare her off. It hadn't been that long ago that she'd finally told him she loved him._

 _"And did your brother teach you how to flatter women ridiculously or was that a skill you picked up on your own?" She questioned him sarcastically._

 _"I like to think I was born with it." He smirked to further annoy her. "But as far as ladies are concerned, he taught me to always be a gentleman."_

 _"I think you learned that quite well. He'd be proud of you Killian."_

 _"I hope so. I doubt he'd forgive me for becoming a pirate, but I want to do right by him in the other areas." He sighed and was quite for a moment as he thought of his brother. "When I was young, I wanted him to be proud of me because I was afraid he'd leave one day just like our father. But he told me he'd be there for me until his last breath. I just didn't think that would come so soon. But after he said that I still wanted him to be proud of course, but learning became more about bonding with him and treasuring little family moments together like we used to when my mother was alive."_

 _"I wish I could've known him. Even if just for a minute, to thank him for helping you become who you are." She told him and her words warmed his heart. "If you could talk to him for a minute, would you tell him not to join the navy?"_

 _"No," He shook his head. "I'm a pirate now but I don't regret the navy just whose it was. We had many adventures together and I can't bring myself to trade them for anything."_

 _"I understand. I always dreamed of having a family and going on a road trip. Seeing new places, spending lots of time together, and making memories." Swan said with a far off look._

 _"You'll get that one day, lass. It might not be in one of your cars though. But maybe one day, in a few years from now when you have a family of your own, you'll find some new adventure here in the Enchanted Forest."_

 _"As long as you're in that family." She stated and gave him a kiss to show how much meant those words._

* * *

 **Thank you guys for reading!** **I have some good news and bad news. So here goes. Good news is that next chapter we'll be back in Storybrooke with a nice Charming family reunion to look forward to. And the bad news is...I'm really sorry guys but I have to cut back updates to once a week :( I know you all appreciate the fact that I'm consistent with the updates and that's why I'm doing this. I had a bit of writer's block. Don't worry I'm passed it but I still don't have enough written to update twice a week. Again I apologize because you've been so great about loyally reading and reviewing this story. Bu** **t to help you get by until next Monday, here's another preview for you guys.**

Family Truths

"Dave, I…I wanted to say…thank you." Hook tried to tell him as they made their way back to the loft after leaving the hospital where Little John had turned into a flying monkey.

"For what?"

"What you said to Emma earlier. Personal opinion you overreacted quite a bit there, mate. But it caused Emma to admit something she's been denying for a long time. It was one of the best things I ever heard when she willingly admitted that we were true love." He told him and smiled at the thought, no words could describe the happiness he felt when Emma finally admitted it.

"I guess we both needed to hear that then." David commented then was silent for a few moments before continuing. "Emma deserves better than a pirate, but you're also not the same man that you used to be. And I hate to admit this but you look at Emma the way I do at Mary Margaret. I still don't like this but you've done a lot for this family, the least I can do is try to accept it."

"Appreciate it, mate." He nodded to him.

"Oh, I didn't do it for you, mate." David replied, echoing his words from Neverland.


	25. Family Truths

**Just want to start off by saying thank you for the reviews last chapter and being so understanding about only being able to update this once a week. I've been writing loke crazy and I hope things will be back to normal soon. But until then thanks for sticking with me and I hope you enjoy this long awaited chapter!**

* * *

"It's really back." Emma breathed as she took it all in. "I'm really back."

"As quaint and homey as you remember?" Killian asked her as he came to stand beside her.

"As cursed as I remember." She replied with a hint of sarcasm.

"Well, I wasn't here then so I'll take your word for it, love. But I do know that you'll make it right again."

"How?" She sighed, already feeling a little hopeless. Could she really make things right again?

"You're Emma Swan; you make everything and everyone around you better." He stated and gave her a reassuring smile. "Regina, me, oh and speaking of which…there that's much better."

She had to agree. The hook looked like it belonged on him more than the wooden gloved hand he had been wearing.

"How are you gonna explain that to him?" She asked, forcing herself to be practical, and nodded towards Henry who was sleeping in the backseat of the Bug.

"Perhaps it'll jog his memory." He shrugged.

"Or give him nightmares." She argued but she knew she was grasping at straws. Henry was a boy; he'd probably think it was the coolest thing ever.

"Swan, he said so himself that it would be fitting. Didn't he?"

"You're impossible." She mumbled.

"I thought I was incredible?" He asked with his signature smirk that made her crazy in both an aggravating way and a good way.

"Where are you going?" He asked when she began walking away without answering. But she was still touched by the memory he brought up.

"To see my parents." She stated as she stopped and turned around. "Keep an eye on Henry?"

"As you wish." He replied and she couldn't help but smile. She took a few steps and closed the gap between them and gave him a quick peck on the lips before turning around and heading towards her parents' place.

As she walked up the stairs of the building a thousand questions flooded her mind. What if David was in a coma again? Or married to someone else? What if Mary Margaret had been paired up with Whale? Would they return to the family they were before the curse? Or would this new one prevent them from being together? Would they even remember? What would she say to them if they didn't? What if they didn't believe her? What if…

"Hi," She said nervously when David opened the door. All the things she wanted to say and that two letter word was all that came out?

But all the nerves, worries, and internal debating went away as soon as she was in her father's arms. She felt so safe, so loved. Sure she felt that way with Killian just earlier this morning. But this was different. She never would have pegged herself as a 'Daddy's Girl' but she really was at heart.

Everyone thinks a princess has to be rescued by a knight in shining armor then marry him. Not fall in love with a pirate. But she didn't need anyone to rescue her, she could do that herself. And her dad was already her knight. And it felt so good to have him back, to have him remember. Now, her family was whole, and apparently about to get bigger very soon.

"I…congratulations…wow." She stammered in surprise.

She knew Mary Margaret wanted to have another baby but she just hadn't expected her to be several months pregnant all of the sudden. Yep, this curse might have wiped any memories of the past year but a year had definitely passed.

"I know. It was pretty shocking to wake up thinking it was a regular morning then seeing a baby bump." Mary Margaret said with a smile but it was clearly still a shock to her as well. "But we'll talk about that later. How did you get here?"

"Hook brought me." She replied and repeated what she'd just told her dad. "And he's outside keeping an eye on Henry who is asleep in the car."

"Well you wake him up enough to get him in here and into bed. He can't sleep in the car all night." Mary Margaret stated in a very motherly tone that most people wouldn't argue with.

"We can't. Only Hook and I know the truth. Henry just thinks we're helping some friends and doesn't remember any of you." She told them and saw both of their faces drop.

"How come you remember then?" David asked her.

"Hook tried to see if true love's kiss would work again but it didn't. So he gave me a bottle of memory potion that he was hoping to save for Henry." She told them and their reactions were almost hilarious.

"What do you mean again?" Her father practically demanded as his face started getting red.

"You mean it worked before?" Her mother asked excitedly at the same moment and threw her arms around her in another hug. "Oh, Emma, this wonderful, I knew it!"

"Yes, again. And yes, it worked before." She answered both of them when she could breathe again after her mom's crushing hug. "Now, can we get Henry into a room at Granny's then discuss what the hell is going on?"

"Yes, of course, just let me grab my coat and we can talk in the sitting room at the inn." Her mom nodded, still excited.

"Now wait just a minute, Emma, this current discussion isn't over." David stated as they walked downstairs.

"I'm an adult, Dad." She told him and thankfully that was it while they got Henry and checked into Granny's.

CS

"It's not just our memories that are missing. Ever since we woke up people have been disappearing." Mary Margaret explained when two of the dwarves came rushing in and announced that another dwarf was missing.

"Who exactly is missing?" She asked them.

"Well, aside from the dwarves we're not sure." David replied. "There's been a lot of confusion over the last few days, it's been hard to keep track. But we think Neal might be one of the missing."

"But don't worry, he's Henry's father and we'll find him." Mary Margaret assured her.

"Actually…he…he's not." She quietly admitted. Gold was dead so she didn't see any harm and she didn't want to keep anymore secrets. And Killian deserved to be recognized as Henry's father. But she was still nervous about their reaction.

"What!?" They shouted simultaneously.

"I was pregnant when I returned from my year back in time. I told Neal in the Echo Cave and Killian the night we got back. But we didn't tell anyone else because of Gold and what he'd do if Henry wasn't his grandson. But we don't have to worry about that anymore." She told them.

"Whoa, what do you mean back in time?" Leroy asked making them all jump, forgetting he was there.

"Thanks for letting us know, Leroy. We'll make plans tomorrow." Her mother expertly guided them outside so they could continue in private. But no doubt the entire town would know everything by town.

"So, what does Henry know?" David asked them while glaring at Killian.

"We never got a chance to tell him the truth before the curse. With cursed memories he didn't know who his father was; just that he left me and didn't even know he existed. Then he figured it out when he met Killian earlier this morning. Obviously we couldn't tell him the full story but he knows what matters." She answered.

"Aye, that I'm his father and that I care about him greatly." Killian added. "I know you don't particularly care for me, mate, especially as of late. But I love Emma and Henry and I won't be leaving either of them again. Not for anything or anyone. I don't know what villain is wreaking havoc for us this time. But they won't touch either of them, you have my word."

"Yeah? Well what happens when this person is defeated? You said you left us in the Enchanted Forest and that was after we took care of Pan's curse. Are you gonna take off on your ship and sail off into the sunset leaving them behind?" David sternly questioned him.

"David!" Both she and Mary Margaret yelled at him.

"Not gonna happen, mate. I will stand by Emma's side throughout this and whatever comes after. Unless she's yelling at me, then I won't stand directly beside her, a few feet away would be more preferable." Killian answered serious at first and then she knew he was just trying to get under her dad's skin with the rest of it.

"Hey!" She couldn't help but yell defensively.

"See what I mean?" He teased her and took two steps back and she was half tempted to smack that grin off his face.

"What I see is that you think this is all a big joke. Well, it's not, Hook. And you need to…"

"If I thought for a moment that any of this was a bloody joke…" Killian yelled with a threatening edge to his tone.

"Hey!" She shouted to get their attention. "One, in case you're forgetting my son, who knows nothing about the Enchanted Forest, is asleep. If either of you wake him up I will lock you up whether I'm still sheriff or not. Is that understood?"

"Yes," They both mumbled.

"Good. Now, I don't know what happened in the Enchanted Forest any more than you do. But if Hook says he's staying, he's staying. Like it or not he is Henry's father and whether you trust him or not, he will protect him so cut him some slack." She stated, mostly to David. "Now, I'm tired, I'm going to bed, and I don't want to be disturbed until at least ten. Got it? Now goodnight."

Without any word or glance at them she grabbed Killian's hook and went upstairs.

"This is mine and Henry's room." Emma stated and nodded towards the door on their right. "You're the one directly across."

"Isn't that a bit unnecessary, love?"

"Actually I think it's quite necessary. No way are we sharing the same bed in the same room as our son. And we also need a place to talk privately where he won't overhear us."

"Does that mean I should expect another late night visit when I'm half asleep?" He asked referring to last night.

She knew it was coming and was actually surprised he hadn't mentioned it sooner. But she blushed a little none the less. She was still mad at him and had determined to ignore him until morning. And she would only talk to him because they needed to decide what they would tell Henry. But the bed felt too big and empty just lying there alone when he was just on the other side of the wall. Literally and figuratively. She had always felt lonely before she met Killian. And he made those feelings go away the second her eyes met his. But now she felt that same loneliness and it was her fault, not the families that never wanted her, the Dark One that had sent her away, or her bedroom wall. It was her fault and she was the only one that could fix it. So she did and it was the best night's sleep she'd had in year.

"Well…" She trailed off as if she actually had to think about it. Then she took him by surprise, which wasn't often, and kissed him. "I don't kiss and tell."

She sent him a smirk that mirrored the ones he always gave her and entered the door on the right. She had totally left him hanging and she knew it but intended to make it up to him later.

CS

"What exactly took Little John?" David asked Robin Hood. She had barely finished her breakfast when the call came that one of the…Merry Men was missing.

'Good ole Storybrooke.' Emma thought to herself.

"We didn't get a good look, some manner of beast with wings." Robin told them.

"That sounds a lot like the monster that attacked me in New York." She commented. She hadn't talked about it except with Killian and she wasn't ready to share it with anyone else yet. But if all this was connected then, and it most likely was, then she'd have to apparently.

"The monster you were going to marry." Hook added and she had to close her eyes and take a deep breath to compose herself. This was not the time for another discussion about his ridiculous jealousy.

"You were gonna marry someone?" David asked her and she really looked forward to what he would say later.

"Did you just miss the part where I said monster?"

"We need to find Little John." Robin, thankfully, interrupted and brought them back to topic.

He was right and she gave instructions to run a search grid then announced that she was going to talk to everybody to figure out what was going on.

"And you know what; I'm actually gonna start with you two." She stated then turned to Robin. "You guys go ahead; David will be joining you in a few minutes."

"What is it, Swan?" Killian asked her once it was just the three of them.

"Both of you." She stated. When her parents arrived at Granny's this morning her dad had done nothing but glare at Killian. And even though David had put it aside while speaking with Robin, he hadn't been happy that Killian insisted on joining them. She couldn't go on like this.

"You'll have to be a little bit more specific, love."

"Okay, David, stop trying to kill Killian with your glares. Killian, stop baiting him. There's enough going on without waiting for the two of you to end up in a duel or something." She told them frankly and her dad looked a bit shocked at her tone.

"Emma, he's…" David began.

"A pirate, I know. But you told me last year that you would support my choice. Why does the fact that he's Henry's father change that? He's not the one that left me by choice. In fact we were separated because we're true love. And the reason why he lost his memories was because he was cursed to forget his true love, me. You and Mom say you want what's best for me. Well what could be better than that?"

As she spoke she went from irritated to almost begging. She had chosen Killian and nothing would change that. But she wanted her parents' support, especially her dad's, since there was still a part of her that was a scared little girl longer for a family to love her. She didn't want this little rift to turn into a giant gap.

"No that…you said the kiss didn't work." He stammered in denial.

"It didn't. But it was the same for you and Mom and you're still true love right?" She pointed out.

"But she didn't remember at all. Regina said she only altered your memories from when Henry was born on. You should have still remembered the year with him."

"You're right, I did. But I didn't believe it was really him. If he was normal he would have been gone a long, long time ago and I didn't think it was possible for him to even be in New York. I loved the Killian of the past, not the man that kissed me because I was convinced it wasn't him." She explained, hoping it made sense. "But it did work in Neverland, just like it worked when Mom was under the sleeping curse."

"Does your mother know about all this?" He asked after a few moments of awkward silence.

"Uh, she knows a little more about our past than you, but no, she doesn't know that detail." She answered a little surprised by the question. It was not what she was expecting.

"Well, you better tell her soon because if you think I'm being bad you don't want to see her angry right now, especially with pregnancy mood swings." He told them and actually smiled a little, then frowned. "Don't ever tell her that last part!"

"On my honor, mate." Killian promised him, seeming highly amused. When her husband and her dad shook hands on that she knew that things were settled for now. So she felt safe to leave them to catch up with the…Merry Men while she went and did what she needed to.

CS

(Killian POV)

"Dave, I…I wanted to say…thank you." Hook tried to tell him as they made their way back to the loft after leaving the hospital where Little John had turned into a flying monkey.

"For what?"

"What you said to Emma earlier. Personal opinion you overreacted quite a bit there, mate. But it caused Emma to admit something she's been denying for a long time. It was one of the best things I ever heard when she willingly admitted that we were true love." He told him and smiled at the thought, no words could describe the happiness he felt when Emma finally admitted it.

"I guess we both needed to hear that then." David commented then was silent for a few moments before continuing. "Emma deserves better than a pirate, but you're also not the same man that you used to be. And I hate to admit this but you look at Emma the way I do at Mary Margaret. I still don't like this you've done a lot for this family, the least I can do is try to accept it."

"Appreciate it, mate." He nodded to him.

"Oh, I didn't do it for you, mate." David replied, echoing his words from Neverland. "And by the way, I know Emma will probably take some time to come around to the idea. But when this is over, I expect you to do the honorable thing and make your little family official. Emma deserves for things to be properly done whether that includes a big ceremony or just you and some witnesses."

Killian promised he would but decided to leave out that he had already done that. It wouldn't do to overwhelm him too much in such a short time. But perhaps it wasn't such a bad idea to have another wedding. Henry and loved ones could be there, David could walk her down the aisle, and she'd have the royal treatment she deserved for sure if her mother had anything to do with it.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed this, especially the end ;) It might take a little while but we'll get a big CS/Charming family celebration (whether or not that's another wedding you'll just have to see) before this is over. And with Hook planning things you know there is romance in store. But before there's a rainbow there has to be a storm or two so right now and the next couple of chapters are the calm before the storm. Anyway just want to say thanks again for everything, you guys are great! And I'll see you next week (and hopefully it passes quickly!) with a chapter of family time called A Good Night.**


	26. A Good Night

"Wouldn't be the first flying monkey I've dated." Emma mumbled which earned an odd look from her mother. But there was no way she was going into all that just yet. She'd already dealt with her dad flipping out about her choice in guys earlier; she wasn't prepared yet for round two with her mom. Although Mary Margaret would likely take it better, she'd still be hurt she hadn't said anything before.

"The person who escaped our trap disappeared in a cloud of green smoke. And now there are flying monkeys in this town? I think we know exactly who cursed us." Regina stated.

"The Wicked Witch of the West?" Emma asked sarcastically but judging by everyone's face, that wasn't as far out as she thought. "Seriously? She's real too?"

"Says the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming." Killian stated as if she shouldn't have been so surprised. "And the mother of Captain Hook's child I might add."

"What!?" Regina yelled at him loud enough to wake the dead.

"Bloody hell, sorry, love." He cringed at his forgetfulness that so far only her parents and whoever the dwarves might have told, knew that he was the father.

"Its fine, she was going to find out eventually." She mumbled and shrugged since she wasn't mad at him. She was just glad he didn't say wife of Captain Hook in front of her parents. She didn't want to give her dad an early heart attack by announcing that part too soon. "Now, Regina…"

"Don't 'Now Regina' me, Miss Swan. Are you telling me that Captain Guyliner has been Henry's father all along?" Regina demanded as the Evil Queen began to show a little.

"Relax, Regina, no matter who his father is Henry is still your son." She tried to tell her but it seemed to have the opposite effect that she wanted.

"Oh is that so? Earlier he didn't know who the hell I was. I'm nothing to him but the mayor of this sleepy little town."

"That's right you are the mayor. And it is your job and Emma's to protect this town and once this is settled he'll remember like everyone else." Her mother spoke up and tried to placate Regina.

"No, he won't. He wasn't in the Enchanted Forest and cursed with the rest of us. His memories were the price I had to pay for bringing us back there." Regina corrected her.

"Mom, is everything okay?" Henry asked as he opened the door just enough to poke his head out. "I know you said this was something confidential but I couldn't help but hear the yelling."

"Everything's fine, kid. Just a bit of…heated discussion. Different people means different opinions that don't always connect. But we're almost done and I'll be back in in a few minutes."

"Okay." He nodded and started to close the door then suddenly paused. "Can we watch a movie together when you're done?"

"Sure, kid," She nodded and watched as he closed the door and listened until his footsteps reached the couch before she continued talking to the others.

CS

"So what did you think? Was your pirate buddy accurately portrayed?" Emma asked Killian. They had just finished watching _The Princess Bride_ as a family and now Henry was in the bathroom brushing his teeth before bed.

"Aye, they didn't include everything I've heard of him over the years. But I'd say that what they did was accurate. It seems like a much better job was done with this story than the awful one you say is about me." He replied.

"Wait you know Westley?" Mary Margaret asked him sounding surprised and excited.

"Aye, I did. He and I…"

"Henry!" Emma said a little loudly than necessary when he came out of the bathroom.

"Uh, are you okay? You've been jumpy a lot the past couple of days." Henry looked at her as if he knew she was hiding something.

"No, just tired. That's why David and Mary Margaret are letting us spend the night. Why don't you go on upstairs and I'll follow you up in a few minutes." She suggested and gave him a quick kiss goodnight.

"Okay goodnight, Mom. And thanks for letting us spend the night, Mary Margaret, David." Henry told them with manners that could only come from being raised by Regina whether he remembered or not.

"Of course, Henry, if you need anything just say so and help yourself to the fridge." Mary Margaret told him.

"I would not say such things if I were you." Emma quoted thinking of how much Henry had been eating lately. She wouldn't be surprised if she had to buy him new clothes again in a couple weeks with how much he was growing.

"If I weren't so tired I'd have a really good comeback to that." Henry told her and she had no doubt about that. Back in New York they could have whole conversations out of movie quotes at times. She missed the simplicity of being there but she couldn't bring herself to regret coming. Even though he didn't remember he was with his family and they were all having a good time together. Just as they should have all along.

After saying 'goodnight' again Henry went upstairs and the adults gathered around the kitchen island and drank more cocoa. And Killian of course poured a bit of rum into his when David and Mary Margaret weren't looking and she was half tempted to do so as well.

"So, did you meet Buttercup too?" Mary Margaret asked Killian. "You know growing up I never heard the real story because the royals from Florin wanted to cover up the fact that their princess ran off with a pirate from the other royals. But the real story inspired me when I first heard it while I was on the run from Regina."

"Inspired you? How? Don't tell me you have a thing for pirates too." David asked her.

"Hey!" Both Emma and Killian called out defensively.

"I wanted an adventure that didn't include running away from my stepmother. And I didn't want it with a pirate, I wanted my true love." She told him and began leaning closer while Emma quickly averted her eyes. Sure it might have been childish but after the 'taco incident' well…

"So, in answer to your question, your majesty, no, I never met Buttercup. I met Westley when I was a lieutenant and he was traveling to a new land. And the second time I was a pirate and he was the Dread Pirate Roberts and hadn't returned to her yet." Killian told them once the royal couple they weren't otherwise occupied. "I heard many stories though over the year in different taverns. I even heard they had a great-great granddaughter that had married a shepherd from the Enchanted Forest. Can't remember the name but I believe it began with an R."

"What did you just say?" David asked him as if he was on the verge of discovering something.

"I said a descendent of theirs was…"

"Oh no! No, no, no! You are definitely making this up now, pirate!" Emma accused him catching on to what her dad must have been thinking.

"Swan, first off, what exactly am I supposedly lying about? And for the record, when have I ever lied to you about anything?" Killian questioned her.

"You're lying about Westley and Buttercup having and great-great granddaughter who's name starts with an R and is married to a shepherd. David grew up as a shepherd and his mother's name was Ruth. That could make me their great-something granddaughter."

"Emma's right that, that can't be possible because that would mean I'm their…" David trailed off in a bit of shock and she didn't blame him. She was worried he'd go into shock if he found out she was married. But she was gonna go into shock if she was connected to one more fairytale person.

"Aye, you have a bit of pirate blood in you, mate." Killian smirked at him and she could only imagine how much he was enjoying this.

"And it looks like history has repeated itself." Her mom smiled at them. "Although hopefully you're never under desperate circumstances and have to prove you're true love. I know it didn't work on the beanstalk or in New York but anyone with eyes can tell how much you two love each other."

"Actually we have proved that we're true love." Emma admitted to her sheepishly. "Our kiss in Neverland broke the curse that took the memories of his true love. And what took me away from him in the first place over ten years ago…"

"Or two centuries ago." Killian added.

"Was a Dark One that had been ordered to take Killian's true love away from him after a year." Emma finished. "I'm really sorry I never told you sooner but there's never really been time. Please don't be mad."

She remembered what her dad said in the woods earlier and she couldn't blame her for being upset that this was hidden from her. That and her pregnancy mood swings she'd heard about, Emma wasn't sure what kind of reaction to expect.

"Oh, Emma, this is all I've ever wanted for you!" Her mom said with tears in her eyes and hugged her as close as she could with a baby bump in between them.

"You're not mad?" She couldn't help but ask since she was still a little surprised.

"Why would I be mad?" She asked. "True love might not be as rare as one couple in a century but it's still rare. And to know that you've found yours…after all the hardships you've been through. To know that you have someone to stand by you, love you, and make you happy is all a parent wants for their child."

"Thanks, Mom." Emma replied and they both had happy tears in their eyes.

"You don't need to thank me, Emma. And don't feel bad for not telling me sooner. This is Storybrooke, there's not a lot of time for peaceful talks. But when this is over we'll make David watch the baby and have a day just to ourselves. You can tell me all about you and Killian and I'll tell you about my banditry days and how your father and I got off to a rocky start."

"Nicely put." David mumbled and Emma bit her lip to keep from laughing. She'd heard the story of how her mom had hit him with a rock when they first met. Secretly she thought it was awesome and far from the Snow White story of this land. But when talking to David of course she sympathized with his side.

"Why do I have the feeling I'm missing something?" Killian asked curiously.

"Don't ask. Just don't or else we'll be listening to them argue their side of it all night. And I'd really like to get some sleep since we've got a lot going on tomorrow." She quickly warned him.

"As you wish," Killian replied and kissed her cheek.

"Aw, Charming, isn't that sweet?" Mary Margaret asked him practically gushing.

"Yeah, but I never thought I'd hear the fearsome Captain Hook described as sweet." David baited him.

"Watch it, mate. I might have joined you heroes but I'm still a pirate and not one you want to cross." Hook warned him.

"You don't scare me, Hook."

"I might not. But I think the fact that you're saying so proves that I at least intimidate you." He replied and Emma had a feeling that if this kept going the swords would come out and there would be a duel right in the kitchen.

"You know if we were in the Enchanted Forest I could have you imprisoned and probably hanged for this conversation alone. Not to mention how many people probably want you for piracy." David told him.

"Aye, you could. But you wouldn't." Killian stated confidently, actually smug was probably a better word for it.

"Oh yeah?" David questioned him. "Give me one reason, pirate."

"I'll do better than that, mate, I'll give you two." He replied. "One, you let Regina of all people live despite her crimes, surely my crimes can't be so terrible. And two, well, I'm in love with your daughter and somehow I manage to make her happy. You might never understand that but you would never risk upsetting or losing her."

Emma was touched by his second reason but no way would she tell him that and encourage these heated debates between him and her father. And she could tell that Killian had him on that point because her dad didn't reply. Instead there were a few moments of tense silence as the men, or boys rather, stared at each other and she and her mom waited anxiously to see what would happen.

"Make sure you sleep on the couch, pirate. And don't get any ideas. Emma may be an adult but she is still my daughter. You know what, better yet, why don't you just go back to Granny's?" David stated firmly then retreated to his and Mary Margaret's bedroom.

As soon his back was to them Emma and her mother broke out into a soft laughter. David was usually a good sport about losing, unless it involved sword fights or an argument with a pirate.

"I better go help him take care of his wounds." Her mom joked as she placed the empty mugs of hot chocolate in the sink. "Goodnight, both of you. And don't listen to him, Killian; you're still welcome to the couch."

"Thank you, your majesty, but no thank you. While I hate to be parted from Emma and our lad, the beds at Granny's are a bit more comfortable." He politely declined, much to Emma's disappointment.

"Well, I'll see you in the morning then." Mary Margaret nodded in understand then left so her daughter could say goodnight to him in private. But Emma had a feeling that she would definitely be eavesdropping.

"Don't look at me like that, Swan. I don't want to leave you either but it's not worth having your father try to kill me in my sleep." Killian said before she could even voice her concerns.

"And what will I tell Henry when he wakes up and you're not here?" She asked trying to come up with any excuse she could.

"Henry might have been raised by Regina but he undoubtedly picked up on your habit of sleeping in as much as he's allowed. I'll be back here, bearing those animal claw treats from Granny's, before either of you wake up."

"They're called bear claws. And are you trying to bribe me?"

"Think of it as a promise, love. You know how I feel about those."

"That it's bad form to break one." She answered with a hint of a smile but she still didn't want him to leave.

"Aye, especially one to beautiful lass." He added. "Don't worry, love. How bad can one night be after all we've been through?"

"I won't hesitate to remind you of that statement when you're of no use tomorrow because you couldn't sleep a wink." She stated with a hint of annoyance.

"I'm sure you will, love. In fact I would despair if you did." He told her and they both shared a little laugh at the memory right before they climbed the beanstalk. So much had happened since then and she was grateful for every second they spent together since then. "Just play your music box if you need to and know that tomorrow we'll both be back at Granny's."

"I love my parents and Henry, and it's good to be home. But I still can't wait until tomorrow night." She sighed, feeling like the rope in a game of tug-of-war between her feelings.

"I know, love." He nodded then kissed the top of her head. "When this is all over perhaps we'll get a place of our own. That will mean having to share Henry with Regina of course, but on the nights he's with us we can have the comfort of knowing we're all sleeping under the same roof."

"I always thought you wouldn't live anywhere other than the _Jolly Roger_?" She questioned to avoid commenting on his idea for the future. She wasn't sure if she was ready for that yet. Not because she didn't want that with him, but because she did. And truth be told she was still having trouble believing this was real. What if they solved this crisis, found a home together, fell asleep in each other's arm, and then she woke up back in New York engaged to a flying monkey?

"True, I would prefer it there. But she's not here. You however, very much are. And wherever you are, Swan, well that's where I want to be." He told her and leaned down to give her another kiss, this time on the lips. "Goodnight, love."

"Yeah, tonight was a pretty good night. This was the first time our family has been all together since flying back from Neverland. And this was a lot better than then." She commented with a smile. "I hope there are more like it. Goodnight, Killian."

"Aye, there will be." He assured her then gave one last lingering kiss before leaving the loft and making his way to Granny's for the night.

* * *

 **So this chapter was kind of a filler but I figured we could use some more Charming family time. I also couldn't pass up the chance to have Regina flip out or tease David about being a descendant of a pirate. Next chapter is called Father's Love with lots of fluff and a flashback to the past. Also I haven't forgotten about the rings Walsh stole. They will be hinted at next chapter then my plan will be revealed the one after that. If you have an theories let me know, I'd love to hear them, or just leave a review in general. Can't believe how quickly the numbers are growing and I can't thank you enough for that! Keep it up and I'll see you next week!**


	27. Father's Love

**Surprise! Not only do you get an extra hour of sleep if you're in a country with DST, you're getting this** **a day early. No, this isn't gonna be a regular thing, I just won't be able to update tomorrow and didn't want to make you wait an extra day. So read, enjoy, and hope there's a good CS scene tonight!**

* * *

"Is it true?" Belle asked Hook a few mornings later. They had become aware that the Dark One was still alive somehow and visiting Belle was something he was bound to do. The others had gone to search the rest of the town and he, much to everyone's surprise, including Belle's, volunteered to stay behind and protect her.

"Is what true, love?" He asked her as he around the Crocodile's shop.

"What you just said." She replied and laughed a little at her small joke. "True love, Emma is yours, isn't she?"

"Aye," He nodded and he couldn't keep the smile off his face whenever it was mentioned. 'How the bloody hell had he gotten so lucky to have a true love. Let alone someone as amazing as Emma?'

"I thought so. You somehow managed to avoid the curse to bring her back. And you're the not the same man that stormed into the tower I was locked in." She voiced her observations.

"I'm glad you think so. And once again, I apologize, lass. I was blinded by my rage but I know that's not an excuse. Using a woman is bad form and hurting one is even worse. And I believe in good form and I hope to never be that man again."

"Oh you're still that man." Belle told him and for a moment he was truly worried. "Everyone has a side of themselves that they're not proud of. But the fact that you've chosen to be a better man despite it makes you even more of a hero. In stories the heroes we relate to the most aren't the ones with perfect lives. It's the ones that have been through struggles and overcome their own demons that we admire the most."

"Aye, I believe you're right." He nodded and was grateful that she seemed to have forgiven him. "Tell me something, love. Most everything in this shop is from the Enchanted Forest. But has anything ever come from this land? And not Storybrooke I mean."

"Uh, no, not that I know of." She shook her head. "Why did you lose something when you and Emma were in New York?"

"I didn't lose something. It was stolen by one of the flying monkeys that we've been dealing with. I was wondering if it might have ended up here when it died." He told her.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe if you tell me what it was I can help you, but I doubt it ended up here. If it was something important though it might have taken it and sent it to the Wicked Witch before it died."

"I appreciate the offer, love. But I don't want the whole town knowing about this just yet. It was something special between me and Emma."

"I'm not a dwarf or a waitress at Granny's, Hook." She stated a bit insulted by the implication that she was a gossip.

"True, but you are still in love with the Dark One. It's bad enough everyone in town now knows the truth about who Henry's father is and Emma's worried sick he'll find out and hurt him. I don't need him to find out about this and hurt Emma." He said with a hint of regret. Belle wasn't so bad really and he wished he could tell her since keeping information wasn't a good way to turn over a new leaf with her. But he just couldn't risk it.

"I wish I could tell you that her fears were unnecessary but I don't even know what to think anymore when it comes it Rumple." The lass sighed. "But congratulations though. Henry's a fine boy and I'm sure he'll remember when this is all over, if not before."

"Thank you, love. I've enjoyed getting to know him. I only wish I could have been there from the beginning." He said wistfully.

Would Swan have looked just as glowing as her mother did? If they were on the Jolly Roger would the rocking of the ship make her ill? Would he and Swan be exhausted with a newborn that refused to sleep?

"Hey, speaking of this being over. Maybe the witch will tell you where your stolen item is located. I mean if she had a monkey take it there must be a reason. I doubt she took it just to take something from you." Belle suggested.

"Aye, but what is that reason? Is there a curse she could be planning to use it for?" He wondered a little weary of what the Wicked Witch had in mind.

"Yeah, there are a lot different ones that require a personal item. If you told me what it was I could tell you more." She said then handed him some books. "Watch the cover on that one."

"Dealing with a hook here." He stated the obvious. A sharp hook and antique books really didn't mix but he'd had enough experience with his brother's books.

He set the books down and figured he could tell her a little bit more. But he never got the chance. Someone started to open the door that had been barricaded with boxes. Belle was sure it was her Dark One lover and ran to the door. But instead they were both surprised to see Baelfire who quickly passed out.

CS

(Emma POV)

"Dad, if you're that worried about Mom why don't you go home. I can do this." Emma suggested when she saw her dad check her phone for the hundredth time.

"No, no, it's fine. I actually wanted a chance to talk to you alone." He shook his head.

"If this is about Killian…" She sighed and prepared for another argument.

"That's not what this is about, Emma. It's…it's about the baby." He told her hesitantly.

"Oh, what about it? Is Mom okay?" She asked with concern.

"Yeah, she's fine. What I meant was I want to know if you're really okay with this. We never really got to talk about what your mother said after we got back from Neverland."

"Actually Mom and I did talk and I understood where she was coming from."

"But that was over a year ago and you were talking about the future. Now that future is here and you're gonna have a little brother or sister in just a couple of weeks."

"Okay, it is a little weird since most people can't have another kid about thirty years after their first. And I was pretty shocked when I arrived here. But I know this isn't the same as what happened with the first family that adopted me. You're Prince Charming and Snow White. I think you have enough love to share between two kids. Nothing's gonna change. I mean they will but you'll still be my dad and I'll still be your daughter."

She was surprisingly calm as she spoke. The conversation she'd had with her mom had been full of emotion. But this one just felt natural. Her parents were great with her and she was a stubborn thirty-year-old. They deserved to have a baby and get all the things they missed. She wouldn't be surprised if she had half a dozen siblings if her parents' lives had been normal.

"Of course you are, you'll always be my sweet little girl." He smiled and gave her a hug, cradling the back of her head just like he always did. She secretly loved it when he did that. "I love you, Emma."

"I love you too, Dad." She whispered as he placed a kiss on her forehead before stepping back. "But what brought this on? Did I do something to make you think I wasn't okay with this?"

"No!" He quickly denied and she felt relieved. "I just…I had a nightmare. I heard a baby crying in the nursery of the castle. When I got there you appeared. You wanted to practice dancing for your first ball. We began to dance then we stopped and you said I failed you. Then you were taken from me again. I tried to hang on but I couldn't. Just before I woke up, in the dream you told me don't fail the next one."

"What? That's crazy." Emma told him as she shook her head. "Sure it wasn't easy living twenty-eight years thinking I'd been abandoned. Then I found out you gave me up because of a prophecy that I'd save a bunch of people I didn't even know. But I never once felt that you failed me. It might not have been easy but you did the best thing for your family, for me. And I know you'll do the same for my little brother or sister."

"Thank you, Emma." He sighed in relief. "I know it was just a nightmare but still. And I feel like I had had the same one before. I mean I don't remember exactly but there's a gut feeling, you know."

"Yeah, I kind of felt that way when Killian showed up in New York." She nodded. "Well, if you get it again you can call me. I'll tell you the same thing I am now. And don't worry because I really do get it. I did the same for Henry. But I have him now and you have me, no matter what happens with the Wicked Witch or anyone else. And if something does happen…"

"I will always find you." He finished they both smiled. This was one of the moments he was talking about a year ago. Sure there was a crazy lady and her monkeys terrorizing the town and they were in the middle of a search. But this was still a good time for her and her dad and she was glad she hadn't missed it because it ended quickly with a call that Neal was taken to the hospital.

CS

"Swan," Killian called out, breaking her out of the daze she was in.

"Sorry what?" She asked as she ran her fingers through her hair and gave him her full attention.

"I asked if you were alright considering what happened this afternoon." He said and she could tell he was walking on egg shells about the topic.

"I'm fine, Hook, I'm not the one that's dead." She sighed.

She really didn't want to think about watching Neal die. And now she had Gold to worry about. He was there with her when Neal died so now he knew that Henry wasn't his grandson. For now they assumed the Wicked Witch had him and he was mourning his son. But what would he do when Zelena, her mom's midwife, was defeated. If he hurt Henry she'd make sure he wished Neal had never brought him back.

"I thank the stars above for that." He stated and pulled her closer with the arm he had across her shoulders. "And I know there was a time when you cared for him. I did too. It's okay to mourn him, Swan."

"I know, I just need time to process I guess. I'm just glad I don't have to explain this to Henry. And I'm glad his real father is still alive." She told him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Aye, I'm a survivor, love, and I'll always be here for the both of you." He assured her and kissed the top of her head. "And with that said, I know Henry's still a little leery of me, but I want to spend time with him while I can. The Crocodile spent his whole life trying to find his son and now he's gone. And I have mine sleeping right across the hall and all we do together is have our meals together at Granny's. I know he's still getting used to the idea of me being in his life, and things with Zelena aren't helping, but I don't want to waste our time together. He's growing up and soon he won't need a father in his life."

"He'll always need you, Killian. Trust me; I got to the point where I thought I didn't need parents, even after I found them. But even as an adult I don't know what I'd do without them. Sure, the job changes when you have an almost teenage versus an adult but you're still his dad. And one day he'll realize and accept that. But I definitely think spending more time with him would help. I know you said the Jolly Roger is gone but there are plenty of other boats you can take him out on." She encouraged him and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Well, I have been learning about these modern vessels from Smee and I've taken to it quite well of course." He began.

"Of course," She replied to humor him.

"Aye, but while my ship was just sails, the helm, and wind, ones from this land have more bloody controls than your little yellow car. And I wouldn't want to make a fool of myself in front of the lad." He admitted without looking her in the eye and scratched behind his ear like he always did when he was nervous.

"Are you saying the great Captain Hook is scared? Because that's what it sounds like. Besides, I thought you loved a challenge." She practically dared him. She knew he was still adjusting to this land but sailing was in his blood and it didn't matter if it was a row boat or a cruise ship.

"I am not afraid." He stated with a hint of the villain he used to be in his tone. "I just don't want to go plunging head first into something too soon and possibly put the boy in danger. If a captain doesn't have everything on the ship under control…" He paused and shook his head. "Going down to the docks and teaching him about the stars is more of what I had in mind."

"I'm sure he'd love that. The sea is in his blood after all and he's a fast learner." She assured him and decided not to push him even though she knew his fears were completely unfounded.

"Just like his mother." He flattered her and gave her a kiss, this time on the lips.

"Just like his father." She shot back. "And if you're that worried about Henry, why don't you take someone else out for a ride first?"

"Someone like yourself perhaps? Just the two of us, a few bottles of rum, and one champagne to christen the ship and have a long needed night under the stars." He suggested with a wistful look in his eyes and she closed hers to imagine it all.

"Are you asking me out, Captain Jones?" She asked playfully with her eyes still closed.

"Perhaps I am, Mrs. Jones." He flirted and kissed her again.

"Remember the first time you took me out?" She asked.

"I'd say I'd never forget it but the Crocodile has deprived me of ever saying such a thing. But I've never willingly forgotten it." He replied.

CS

Month 5

 _"You look stunning, Swan." Killian said as he openly stared at her with his mouth widely hanging open._

 _"You don't look too bad yourself." She replied then looked down so he didn't see her blush._

 _She was still getting used to this romance thing since she had only told him she loved him for the first time a couple weeks before. If Killian had his way they would have gone on this first date of sorts a long time ago but this was the first time they'd made port since she'd said those three little words that had turned both their lives upside down._

 _"Thank you, love." He smirked and gave a quick peck. "But flattery won't get you any answers."_

 _"Are you really sure about that, Captain? You do look quite dashing I must say. You really know how to dress up for whatever the occasion is." She smiled, too innocently, and gave him a kiss that wasn't so innocent._

 _"Again, thank you, love. But just like ships are not referred to as boats, pirates are dastardly not dashing." He corrected her as he reluctantly distanced himself from her but still kept his arms around her waist._

 _"Well then, how about dashing rapscallion? Does that satisfy you, pirate?"_

 _"Aye, love, I much prefer that." He nodded and gave her another kiss. "Now, I believe it was time we got going. May I?"_

 _"You may," She smiled and looped her arm through his._

 _They left the ship and went to the last place Emma expected. They arrived at the village livery and Killian told her to stay outside. When he came back he was not alone, a beautiful light brown mare was walking beside him._

 _"Well, aren't you full of surprises this evening." She commented. "Where does a pirate learn to ride a horse?"_

 _"This isn't your world where there are lots of ways to travel, love. Here you either have to walk, sail, or ride horseback or carriage. It's not often but whenever I need to travel by land I prefer by horse, it offers the most freedom. Not the same as my ship of course but still enjoyable."_

 _"That sounds nice. But I can't ride." She sheepishly admitted._

 _"Try something new, darling, it's called trust." He said as he got up on the horse and reached down to grab her hand. She bit her lip and looked at him hesitantly for a moment. But ultimately she did trust him so she took his hand and got up on the horse with his help._

 _"Here we are, love." Killian told her and she was actually a little disappointed that they'd stopped._

 _"That was amazing!" She panted as she got down. He was right when he said it gave him a sense of freedom._

 _"Well, I had a feeling you'd like it. I also had a feeling you'd like this." He replied then nodded to their left._

 _Emma looked to take in their surroundings and saw a lighthouse that looked like it should be part of a maritime museum or old tourist spot._

 _"Come on, love, if we don't hurry we'll be late." He grabbed her hand and urged her towards the lighthouse._

 _They quickly made it to the top and the view of water was fantastic. It was a lot like the view from the crow's nest but less scary, she'd only had the guts to do that once. But it got even better when the sun set a few minutes after they got up there._

 _"Wow," She whispered._

 _"Aye, there's only one thing that's more beautiful than the sun rising or setting on the horizon." He agreed._

 _"And what's that?" She asked although she'd bet anything that she already knew his answer._

 _"You, my darling." He whispered in her ear before giving her a gentle kiss full of love._

* * *

 **Again, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next one will be back to Monday next week and is simply called Sailing. Don't be fooled though a big reveal is...well revealed and I can't wait for the cat to be let out of the bag!** **So please, leave a review and share your thoughts and theories.** **And I just want to say thank you to those from last week, the regulars, new readers, and guests alike. You're all awesome and you get me so excited! Thanks a bunch a see you next week.**

 **P.S. did I mention that the Wicked Witch herself will finally make an appearance as well?**


	28. Sailing

Killian walked towards the docks with Henry at his side and tried not to let the lad see his nervousness. Thanks to Zelena challenging Regina, his plans for taking Swan out on a date and then sailing with Henry had been thrown out the window as he was now supposed to keep Henry occupied until the magic showdown was over.

True he probably knew more than anyone else in town at this point about boats in this land, and that's what they were, considering they were mere rowboats compared to the _Jolly_ , because as a captain it was his responsibility to know about all types of vessels. But he still didn't trust everything in this land and if something went wrong with Henry on board he'd never forgive himself.

"So, what are we supposed to do? Mom just said you wanted to spend some more time together." Henry asked him, sounding bored.

"Well, my ship still isn't ready to sail but I figured it was about time we went sailing together." He told him, trying to seem casual about it and not letting on to the greater purpose behind the sudden trip.

"Is that what this is really about or is Mom just making you babysit while she's busy with the mayor, Mary Margaret, and David?"

"Your mother isn't making me do anything, Henry." He spoke and came to a stop, placing his hand on the lad's shoulder to show his sincerity. "I really do want to spend more time with you; I've got lots to make up for. And I did promise to take you sailing, did I not? And I figured you'd enjoy this more than sitting around Granny's or your room at the inn the rest of the day while Emma and the others are busy."

"Yeah, I guess. It's just Mom always pawns me off on friends that have boats when she's working. It gets kind of old and I was hoping we could do the sailing as a…a fam…just with my mom too." He shrugged as if it was no big deal but Killian found a lot more in it.

He was touched that even with semi-cursed memories Swan felt safe entrusting Henry's care to someone with a boat. He hoped it was because she always felt safe with him on his ship. And he also caught that Henry almost said 'family'. Perhaps he was more like Emma than either of them realized and being leery of accepting him was just an act to avoid getting hurt.

"Aye, I was hoping so too. But you know how your mother can be, and there will be other times. Today however is going to be about you and I getting to spend some quality time together." He told him and started up the boat. There weren't any stars out yet obviously but he wished on every single one of them that this little voyage would go off without a hitch.

CS

By the time Killian and Henry made it to a secluded strip of beach a few miles from town they were as close as any captain and first mate that every sailed the seas. It took a little while to break the ice. But after partnering up in a battle against seagulls for their food, winning said battle, telling the lad a funny story about Emma once getting attacked by one, and swearing him to silence, things between them got easier.

"You trusted your brother that much?" Henry asked after Killian told him the story of how he and his brother found the 'Eye of the Storm'. Of course he changed many of the details and made it sound like they just saved a crew from the terrible storm.

"Aye, I was willing to follow him to the ends of the earth. We were all each other had." Killian told him and was glad he could pass on Liam's memory.

"That sounds like me and my mom. It was just the two of us and we told each other everything. We never kept secrets from each other." He stated and then paused. "At least that's what I thought. You show up and I found out, she's been lying to me about you for my whole life. And now you're both lying to me about what's really going on in this town."

"Henry, she's just trying to protect you because we don't know what we're up against here exactly." He told him hesitantly since he wasn't sure what to tell him without revealing the truth. "And as for the truth about me, lad, aye, she should have told you. But it was my fault."

"How?" He questioned as he started tying another knot. "I mean yeah, I think you're the reason she's keeping things from me now but this was something she should have told me years ago."

"She had no way of knowing that I'd return to her, to you. She was trying to protect herself from the hurt she'd already experienced. And she was trying to protect you from getting your hopes up that you had a father out there that cared about you then being hurt when those hopes were let down. I'm not saying what she…what we did, was right. But no one is perfect, lad, and as your mother once told me, the past doesn't matter. What matters is that we're all here now and that we make the best of it."

This time Henry had no reply and gave all his attention to the knot he was tying from the book he'd given him. Killian decided to let him have a moment and looked up at the sky. Nightfall had come and in just a few more moments the stars would be just right and he was hoping to teach Henry about them just as his brother had taught him and he'd taught Bae.

"I think I've tied every knot in here." Henry spoke up a few minutes later.

"Well done then, lad. Even your mother didn't catch on quite that quick." Killian told him with a smile, proud of his accomplishment.

"You taught her how to do this too?" He asked out of curiosity instead of demanding an answer like earlier.

"Aye, I taught her many things about the sea, especially about the stars."

"But the stars are in the sky." The lad pointed out the obvious and in a tone that mimicked Emma's almost exactly. "What does that have to do with the sea?"

"Well, come here and I'll tell you." He stated and picked up his sextant. The lad came over to him and he began to explain what it was and how it worked.

"Thanks for showing me this, Killian. But what's the point?" Henry asked him when they'd decided to take a break some time later. "I mean it's pretty cool but if I'm ever lost or sailing at night I can just use a GPS."

"Well, lad, remember when I said no one is perfect? Well, neither are you're modern gadgets. They can break or lose power, but not the stars." He replied, not completely sure what a GPS was but figured what he said applied to it. "They're always there even when you can't see them. Just as I am always here for you, Henry. I know you still don't trust me completely and I don't blame you since I did miss over a decade of your life and will always regret that. But I'll do whatever it takes to make up for that if you'll let me. But no matter what, a father ought to protect his child, and even though this method may be outdated, as long as you know the stars you can find your way home. It's worked for me many a time. And if you can find your way home you'll always be safe."

Not for the first time during this outing, Killian watched as Henry stood in contemplative silence as he gazed at the sea and then the stars. Emma had always been an open book to him since the first time his blue eyes met her gorgeous green ones. And with Henry he could tell outward emotions but he'd give anything to know what the lad was thinking right now.

"If that's true, can I use this thing to get us home to Storybrooke?" Henry suddenly asked with an excited and hopeful face. His question surprised Killian but he was more than pleased to hear him say it.

"Aye, lad, we'll set sail as soon as we pack all this up." He told him and nodded towards the fire that needed to be put out and a few things they'd brought with them to the beach.

"Okay," Henry nodded. "Hey, I bet I can get all our stuff together before you get that fire out."

"Oh, never bet against a pirate, mate." He warned him and quickly rose to the challenge of getting the fire out as fast as he could.

CS

"Hey, how was your trip?" Emma asked when he and Henry arrived back at the inn.

"It was great, Killian let me sail most of the way home until we got closer to the marina and he sailed it back to its place at the docks." Henry told her with a great deal of excitement. "And Killian said I caught on even faster than you did to tying knots."

"Well, sounds like you had fun. I wish I could have been there with you guys." She replied and sighed a little but she still has a pleasant smile on her face.

"It's okay; I don't think Killian would have wanted you there to see him lose to a kid. Wouldn't want him to end up in the hospital or something with a bruised ego." Henry stated with a triumphant smirk and Killian sent a glare his way but couldn't hide a small grin of his own. "Night, guys. And don't forget what you owe me, Killian."

"I won't, lad, goodnight." He promised with a nod and Emma said her goodnight to him as well.

"So, what was that about? Something to do with your bruised ego?" Emma asked with an amused smirk once it was just the two of them in the hallway.

"Henry challenged me to a little bet and I lost. And no, I wasn't just letting the lad win. Now, I owe him a movie night when this is all over and I have to watch every blasted one that features Peter bloody Pan." He reluctantly admitted to him and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment when Emma began laughing enough to almost bring tears to her eyes.

"I'm sorry." She apologized for laughing, while still laughing.

"No, you're not." He called her out. "Bad form, love."

"Okay, I'm done, for now. But I can't promise anything when this movie night of yours comes." She told him when she was finally able to suppress her giggles.

"Thanks for your loving support." He stated sarcastically then decided to change the subject. "How did the queen fare against the witch?"

"She survived. But the rest is definitely more than a doorway conversation." She told him. "Got any rum in your room?"

"Do you really need to ask?" He asked her as he opened the door for her.

CS

The next day Killian and Henry were once again spending time together. And this time instead of teaching him about the stars, Killian decided to teach him about dice over fries at Granny's. Was it good parenting to steal his fries thanks to the loaded dice and teach his son how to cheat? Probably not but he had to make up for losing to him yesterday. Even though the lad's arms and legs were shorter than his, Henry could run like hell and carried much more than normal. And he wasn't the one that had to double check that the fire was completely snuffed out.

But then she walked in and the guilt he'd felt all those months ago, and had somehow managed to suppress, came back more heavily than before. And to make matters worse Dave and Mary Margaret volunteered to watch Henry so he could help Ariel look for her lost prince. Bloody hell.

Thanks to Belle they were able to put a locator spell on the prince's cloak and it led them to the docks. When it sank below the water and disappeared from sight he knew what it meant as did Ariel. Her prince was dead. And due to the curse Ariel didn't remember Blackbeard kidnapping him and might never know what happened to him.

'Unless you stop lying to her.' He thought to himself.

When she turned to him and thanked him for helping her it hurt more than when she'd slapped him after feeding Blackbeard to the sharks. He had Emma and Henry while Ariel had no one thanks to him. Yet she stood there telling him he had a true heart when all he had done today was lie.

They parted ways and Killian wanted to make his way to the Rabbit Hole and drink every last drop of rum in the place. But he knew that would only make him feel worse, especially in the morning and he didn't want to be hungover if he was to watch Henry again while Emma practiced magic with Regina. So he decided to make things right with Ariel now before his guilt drove him mad.

"Ariel! Wait!" He called out as he ran after her.

She stopped and began his tale of their encounter during the missing year. He apologized and once again she slapped him as well as called him out for being a monster and a coward.

"I would give anything to take it back, to make things right." He stated with all the sincerity he could muster.

"How am I supposed to trust a man that no longer believes in love?" She questioned when he said once again that he would do anything.

"I still do." He told both her and himself. His voice was about to break but he meant it more than anything.

"Then swear to me on it." She told him. "This woman that broke your heart, do you still love her?"

"Yes," He whispered.

"Then swear to me on her name." She stated firmly.

"I swear on Emma Swan." He vowed.

"Thank you, Captain, that's exactly what I need to hear." She said and he watched as her entire demeanor rapidly changed.

She lifted her hand and green a glow shone from between her fingers. She grabbed his hand when the glow faded and shoved something into it. She let go and he opened his palm to see Emma's ring, the one the monkey had stolen.

'How?' He wondered to himself and then it all clicked into place just as the witch revealed her true self. Walsh had given it to her just as he and Belle thought.

"Zelena," He stated and demanded where Ariel was.

"Why would you pretend to be her?" He asked once she told him that Ariel was living happily ever after with her prince, much to his relief.

"To corrupt your love." She replied then went on to gloat about how she knew his dark secret. "When you evoked the name of your love in a selfish plea for redemption I was able to curse that ring. Not only do I know about your secret, I also know about your little talk with Prince Charming. So when you take this ring, and you will, Captain, and place it on Emma's finger all of her magic will be taken."

"I won't do it. I'll tell her. Then she'll defeat you." He stated, showing no emotion, outwardly at least. He wouldn't give her the pleasure of knowing what this did to him. Sure they were married in the Enchanted Forest but he was already coming up with ways to propose to her again and have a second wedding in Storybrooke to share with her family. Now that would be ruined by the bloody witch.

"Then I'll send the Dark One to kill her before you can." She quickly shot back.

"If you could have killed her you would've." He countered her and it all came into place why she had the monkey look after Emma in New York among other things. "For some reason, you can't."

"That no longer matters because you're going to remove her powers. I may not be able to hurt Emma but I can hurt those around her, her parents, her friends, her…or should I say your child."

"Do not go near them." He threatened at the mention of his son.

"The choice is yours. Put that ring on her finger. Propose, give it just as a gift, or bloody elope with her, I don't care. Just get it on her finger and remove her power or everyone she loves dies." She threatened with anger through gritted teeth then used magic to transport herself away.

He looked down at the now cursed ring in his hand and squeezed it until he felt pain from it. This was not how he wanted to get the ring back. And now he was caught in a trap between protecting his true love and protecting those she loved, people that were growing on him as well. He knew he couldn't take her magic but he also knew Henry would be the first target.

He sighed and placed the ring around his neck, next to his brother's, just like he did when Emma was first taken from him. It stayed there for exactly a year before he placed all her things in the trunk as sort of one last memorial to put them next to his brother's things. He hoped it wouldn't remain there for another year but it would if it meant Emma kept her magic to defeat Zelena. He knew what Emma's magic could do and with Regina's help it wouldn't be long before Zelena met her end. So he would just keep an extra good eye on Henry at all costs until then.

* * *

 **Once again it seems our pirate is between a rock and a hard place. At least I didn't curse his lips, right? lol with the change in their relationship from the show I just couldn't not have them kiss for a couple chapters. I've been so excited to share this twist with you since I wrote it and hope you enjoyed it. And as always just thank you to everybody for reading this, especially my awesome reviewers that are as crazy about this as I am!**

 **Speaking of being crazy about something, if you love OUAT and like trivia, I have a quiz on FunTrivia on quotes from the show. PM me or check out my profile for more info.**


	29. Broken

"Hey, how's your headache?" Emma asked Killian when she got into bed. He had turned down the offer to eat at Granny's with them earlier because of it and she expected him to be asleep if it was that bad.

"Better, the darkness helps." He replied with his eyes still closed which meant he really did have a headache or he was hiding something. Her guess was leaning towards the latter. "Is our lad asleep?"

"Yeah, with no one to steal his fries he overstuffed himself at Granny's and decided to go right to sleep." She replied. Part of her felt like she should scold him for teaching their son to cheat as well as steal from him. But the more prominent part thought it was funny and she was just glad they were getting along.

"At least I'm not the one that let him behind the wheel of a bloody car." He mumbled and she agreed. None of them were really happy about that, especially Regina.

"Now that would be scary. At least my dad knows what he's doing and could take control if anything really bad started to happen." She sighed and tried not to think about both Killian and Henry ending up in some sort of car accident. "So, what's bothering you other than my dad letting Henry drive? Because we both know I didn't really buy your headache story even though I let it slide."

"I know you didn't, love." He sighed and finally opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling. "And I wasn't trying to lie you, I just needed some time to think."

"About what?" She asked and placed her hand on his chest where his pajama shirt wasn't buttoned, just like he did with his regular shirts. "Is this still about Ariel? Because I already told you how I felt about the past."

"Aye, some." He replied then turned to look at her. "Please, Emma, just give me tonight."

"Fair enough. You always give me the space I need so it's the least I can do for you." She nodded. In all honesty she really wanted to push the matter but he needed time just like she did. "But, Killian, we're in this together and whatever it is, whatever's happened, I love you."

"Thank you, love, and I you." He replied and took the hand that rested on his chest and intertwined her fingers with his then gave her a kiss.

CS

(Time Jump: couple days ahead)

"Regina, if I didn't know any better I'd say you look smitten." Mary Margaret commented when Regina walked in. And Emma had to agree with her. Regina actually seemed happy, something she hadn't been since she gave up Henry last year.

"Ha, well, if I didn't know any better I'd Haagen-Dazs is smitten with your stomach." Regina stated sarcastically but it didn't have its usual evil-edge if you will. "Can we get started?"

"We were waiting for Hook." Emma told her and wished for the millionth time that he had a cell phone like everyone else. Maybe learning how to use one could be his next bonding attempt with Henry.

"I don't have time to wait for the handless-wonder. We have to figure out how to destroy my sister."

"For once I agree with Regina. Stopping Zelena is the priority." David added.

"There's one thing about this plan that doesn't fit." Emma began as she conceded.

They did need to figure out how to stop Zelena, Killian was a grown man, and she didn't have to worry about him. But those reasons still didn't stop her, especially since he still hadn't opened up to her and last night she ended up sleeping in Henry's room when he said he wasn't up for company. Usually she was the one to shut him out and it wasn't often that it was the other way around. But it never led to anything good.

CS

Month 6

 _"Killian? Killian!" She called out as she searched the ship for him. He'd left the tavern soon after some crew from another ship walked in. She asked Cogsworth and Lumière who they were but they didn't know._

 _She was in the store room of the ship and was about to leave when she heard a sigh._

 _"I'm here, love," Killian said quietly. She followed the sound of his voice and saw him sitting on top of a rum barrel in the darkest corner of the room._

 _"Hey, what's going on? Who were those people that entered tavern when you left?" She asked as she dragged another barrel over to him and sat._

 _"No one that you need concern yourself with, love." He stated a bit harshly and brought his flask to his lips._

 _"Maybe not but I'm still concerned about you. So spill, Jones." She stated just as firmly and folded her arms._

 _"Have I told you yet how amazing you look in that dress, Swan?" He asked, clearly diverting the subject._

 _"Yes, you have. But no, flattery won't get you out of this." She sighed knowing this wouldn't be easy. But she also knew what could happen if he was left alone with his thoughts from personal experience and she really didn't want him to suffer that._

 _"It's ironic. As a lad I was so afraid to come down here in the dark by myself. Now, that's all I want." He said quietly and that was not the answer she'd been expecting._

 _"What is that supposed to mean?" She asked a bit defensively and stood up._

 _"It means that when you need your space, I give it to you. And now, I would very much appreciate the same curtesy." He told her and he sure didn't sugarcoating how he felt._

 _"My version of needing space isn't drinking myself into oblivion." She shot back then paced over to the other side of the room._

 _"I'm not going to ask you what's wrong again, Killian." She stated after a few minutes of silence. "But I'm listening, whenever you need me."_

 _"The sea has always been my life, but not always by choice." He began after a few more minutes of silence and she sat back down and rested her head on his shoulder as a sign that he should continue. "My father took me and Liam on a ship and told us we were sailing to a better life. He left in the middle of the night and traded us to the captain to pay for the rowboat he used to escape and his passage. We were slaves to that man for years until he died. I thought we'd get our freedom then but the new captain, Silver, wouldn't let us."_

 _"Was that who was in the tavern?" She asked when he paused and tried to keep the tremor out of her voice. She knew his father abandoned him put she'd never imagined this and her heart broke for him._

 _"No, he died along with the rest of the crew in a storm. Liam and I were the only survivors." He informed her. "One of the men in the tavern tonight, he was once an enslaved lad like me. We raided a ship and one of my men found him and his brother in the brig. I had them brought aboard the Jolly, hoping I could give them a free life as cabin boys. But it was clear the brother was ill. I changed course and headed back to land. I thought we could save him if we had more supplies but we couldn't…I couldn't."_

 _"But you did." She whispered and wrapped her arms around him to let him know she was there. "True, not both boys lived but even the one that died; he died free, Killian, thanks to you._

 _"Thanks to me he was left alone in the world without his brother. I at least was old enough to be on my own when I lost Liam. I tried to convince him to stay aboard but he left as soon as we docked, he couldn't be on the ship where his brother died. If he was lucky he got a job as a stable boy to support himself. A lad shouldn't have to work to survive or be alone at that age." He stated, angry at himself._

 _"You're right; a kid shouldn't be alone. But he chose to be leave after his brother died. And don't you try to tell me you didn't give him his weight in gold before he left." She stated firmly. She knew he felt guilty and she got that but it wasn't his fault and she wouldn't let him think that any longer._

 _"And you say I exaggerate." He smirked but it wasn't quite his usual look. "Gold can't make up for that kind of loss."_

 _"I know. But you did what you could and that's all anyone can ask. I'm proud of you, Killian, for saving them and I'm sure Liam would be even more proud." She told him with a smile and gave him a kiss._

 _"Thanks, Swan, I don't know what I'd do without you. And I hope I never find out." He told her then returned her kiss._

CS

(Killian POV)

Killian had lied to Swan about his headache the other night but he most certainly had one now. He wondered if it was punishment for lying to her. But he knew from the gag in his mouth and his arms being tied that something more serious was going on. And from the bumps he felt he figured he was in a car but there was considerably less space than the time Greg and Tamara kidnapped him in a vehicle. He almost had the bindings loose when he felt the car come to a stop. He heard talking but couldn't tell who and then the roof was lifted and there stood Zelena and the bloody Crocodile.

"We're in Storybrooke. Have you never heard of a telephone?" He sighed when Zelena removed the strip of cloth from his mouth.

"Such an expertly crafted ring, pity for it to be hidden away and wasted. It would almost be better off melted down." She said as she used the stem of the rose she was holding to drag the chain around his neck to reveal the ring. "Why haven't you given it to her yet, Captain?"

"Well, a fella likes to be courted. After all I hear some women take it upon themselves to propose to the men in this realm." He quipped even though he wasn't in the best position to be doing so. But she couldn't kill him and obviously neither could the Crocodile otherwise he would have done more than knock him out and put him in his trunk.

"This isn't a joke." She reprimanded him. "Take away her magic, Captain, or the next rose will be for your little brat's grave. And I doubt you'll get your pathetic little happily ever after if this ring is added to your collection because you're responsible for the death of her son. Keep it as a reminder of what you're about to lose if Emma doesn't lose her magic."

She tossed his wedding band onto to his chest along with the rose she'd already placed there then shut the top of the trunk.

CS

The Crocodile let him out of the trunk behind some of the town shops so they wouldn't be seen. After a few taunts about him not being worthy to be Henry's father, that Bae was, and how he hoped he'd get the pleasure of taking another loved one from him, the Dark One drove off. And if it wasn't for Killian's plan to get Henry to safety as soon as possible he would have sent him crawling back to the witch with a few broken ribs at best. But he needed to protect his son not stir up his old vengeance.

"Where are you off to there, mate?" He asked Henry who was trying to get into Emma's car. He'd seen him leave Granny's and it was easy enough to follow him and take the lad by surprise.

"Uh, nowhere." Henry told him and Killian found that he was a worse liar than his mother.

"So you're planning on driving all the way to New York. One lesson and you think you're ready for that?" Killian asked him when he admitted he was running away. He planned on giving David a hard time about this driving thing for a long time to come.

"No, just to the nearest bus station."

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that. It's too dangerous." He told him firmly. He had to play the part of the concerned and responsible adult but this would actually work to his advantage. If he could get the lad out of Storybrooke he'd be safe from both Zelena and Gold's magic. And the fact that Henry wanted to leave made things easier.

"I don't care what you think." Henry stated with an attitude and opened the door.

"Well, you should." Killian stated in turn and closed it shut. "Cause I've got a better way."

"Wait why are you gonna help? You're my dad. Shouldn't you be stopping me so you can stay on my mom's good side and keep hanging out with me?" Henry wondered as he followed him to the docks. And Killian was glad it was a short walk because it was starting to snow again.

"Oh, you're mother will probably want to kill me for this." He nodded and he wasn't just talking about Emma. "But you're a lot like her and me as well so I know you're too stubborn not to follow through with this. At least this way we'll know you're safe."

They arrived at the docks and he began introducing the lad to Smee then all hell broke loose. Zelena's monkeys were coming right for them. They found shelter but it wasn't much and his old gun wasn't much match for them either and only took out two of the winged beasts. Luckily Swan and Regina appeared and took out the rest, including the one just on top of Henry.

But things weren't over yet. Now they had to explain to Henry what was going on and Killian feared that Zelena wasn't far behind her pets. But the others came prepared with the storybook which brought back the lad's memories and Killian momentarily forgot his worries about the witch. His son was safe, back to himself, and was surrounded by his family which was right where he belonged, not New York. But the feeling of relief and contentment only lasted a moment before Henry disappeared from before his eyes just as Swan was about to break the curse.

"Let him go, he had nothing to do with this." Swan told the witch who had their son in her clutches.

"Don't blame me. The captain failed me." Zelena replied and her words hit him like a ton of bricks. He thought he'd have more time. But he had failed and he felt no better than his own coward of a father.

"Hook, what's she talking about?" Swan asked him.

"He knew what the price of that failure was. Your son's life." Zelena answered instead and in an instant her hands were around Henry's throat and Killian was too shocked to move an inch.

Luckily Swan was stronger and braver than he'd ever be and used her magic to save her son. And that's who he was because the Crocodile was right; he didn't deserve to be a father, especially after this failure that almost cost Henry his life. And now that he knew how awful of a villain Hook was, all the progress they'd made together was probably out the window. And he deserved it.

"Enjoy this moment together, cause you don't have many left!" Zelena yelled, breaking him out of his thoughts, and then disappeared in a cloud of magic.

Killian had a feeling that wasn't true because while he personally felt like a failure at the moment, he knew Emma and her parents would never give up. But they did enjoy the next moment as much as they were surprised by it. Henry brought Regina to and they watched as she finally got her reunion with her son. She kissed his forehead then a wave of magic came from it and the curse was broken.

But once again this wasn't the end of their troubles or at least his anyway. Regina and Henry left to spend some time together and Mary Margaret and David stepped away as well. Leaving him and Emma alone, and a very irritated Emma he might add.

"Are you gonna tell me what Zelena was talking about?" She demanded. "Is that why you've been acting weird and keeping something from me? Is it because you were working for her?"

"No, love, you of all people should know how I've changed since working with Cora. The witch tried to back me into a corner. I did everything I could to resist her plan."

"So whose idea was it to kidnap Henry and stick him on a boat?"

"That was mine." He admitted with a sigh. "But I wasn't kidnapping him, Swan; I was trying to save him."

"Like you tried to save him when Greg and Tamara almost destroyed Storybrooke?" She brought up to make a point which was a low blow in his opinion. He was already feeling like a failure and now he felt the guilt of that mistake again. "What is she doing, Hook?"

"She cursed me. Well, not me exactly she just thought I was the best way of getting this to you to take away your magic." He told her and pulled out the ring from under his shirt.

"She cursed my wedding ring?" She asked incredulously and very loudly as she raised her eyebrow which was something she'd picked up from him long ago.

"Emma? Did you just say…?" Mary Margaret began as she and David appeared around the corner. But the prince wasted no time to clarify the matter and instead just went straight for a blow to his face.

* * *

 **Don't worry, things are quickly resolved between Emma and Killian in the next chapter aptly called, Mending. I just couldn't resist ending the chapter with David throwing a punch. So sorry not sorry. But on a better note thank you all so much for getting this story to over 170 reviews! Special thanks to CShipper for being that 170th one! And to the guest review, thanks for reading and I'm glad you're enjoying this! Anyway, hopefully this helped after no new episode last night :P And I'll see you next week with CS fluff, good ol' mother son bonding, and a few other things.**


	30. Mending

**Just want to start this off by thanking A'Lee'Ray and a guest for leaving a review. Also I want to clarify a question that was asked. At the end of last chapter Emma called him Hook because even though they are much closer than on the show, she's still a little ticked and upset. So calling him Hook is kind of like getting in trouble and your mom yelling your full name. And thank you CShipper for letting me know, I went back and fixed some typos and a couple other things and re-updated the chapter. And now to the aftermath of David's punch!**

* * *

"Bloody hell, mate! I thought you wanted this?" Killian shouted in regard to their conversation the day after they arrived in Storybrooke as Emma placed her hand on his throbbing jaw.

"I wanted you _to_ marry her not already _be_ married." David clarified while raising his voice with each word.

"What are you two talking about?" Emma questioned them.

"David, don't jump to…"

"Aye, and one of the monkeys heard that little conversation and that's why I'm in this mess now." He told the prince, both of them ignoring Emma and her mother. "The monkey Emma was seeing stole the ring in New York and somehow got it to Zelena who gave it back the other night cursed. She said do whatever it took to get it on Emma's finger and take away her magic. And today when I missed your meeting to discuss what to do, it was because she was threatening me again, this time with Henry's life which was why I was trying to get him out of Storybrooke."

"I knew something was wrong earlier." Swan sighed, no doubt finding a way to blame herself for this. "Why didn't you just tell me when this happened? And when was that by the way?"

"The day I helped Ariel search for her prince. After she left Zelena cornered me." He replied as simply as possible, not wanting to get into the fact that Ariel was never there or his past with her at the moment.

"Why should we believe you? You've been keeping this secret from Emma for days and you've been lying to all of us since you got here." David pointed out accusingly.

"Lying about what? Being married?" He asked thinking it was an absurd reason for not believing him. "Trust me, mate, if I had my way I'd be shouting it from the rooftop but Emma didn't want to give you a heart attack or make Mary Margaret go into early labor."

"No, that's not it, Hook, though we will be talking about this later." David told him. "You said received a message from us…"

"With a memory potion." Mary Margaret added.

"Aye, what of it?"

"We didn't send you any message." The prince stated.

"Well, I got one." He told them but no one looked convinced. "It's the truth. Someone bloody well sent me the message."

"Okay! Enough of this." Emma stated and stepped between him and her parents. "Does it really matter who sent it to him? I'm here, I remember, now so does Henry, and I am gonna find a way to stop Zelena once and for all."

"Emma's right, the point is she's here. And thank you for that, Hook, and belated congratulations." Mary Margaret told him with a supportive smile then went to hug Emma.

"Mary Margaret, are you seriously okay this? Our daughter married a pirate behind our backs and…"

"David, you're being ridiculous. We pretty much did the same thing when Lancelot married us. And you told me about your talk with him about making himself an honest man and marrying Emma. Well, you got what you wished for just not in the way you expected. Now leave him alone. They obviously have more talking to do." She defended him then turned back to Emma. "And we have more talking to do too. Please tell me there are no more secrets about your past."

"That's about it. And I'll give you the finer details once and for all when this is over." Emma told her and the two embraced again before her parents departed.

CS

(Emma POV)

"So, you and my dad had a man to man talk about making our little family official?" Emma broke the silence on their way to Granny's.

"Aye, he suggested I talk to you about it when this was over and I agreed, to humor him. Then I got to thinking and thought it might be a good idea to maybe…renew our vows. It's one thing to say something and another to show it. Perhaps it will make things more real for your parents, and Henry, and us as well. We were only married about two months and with all the separation we've endured, it's still a little hard to believe you're really here and that you're mine."

"I know what you mean." She nodded, feeling touched by his thoughts. "Part of the reason I resisted in New York, the beanstalk, and even when we first met was because I just couldn't believe it was possible. But I've learned from those experiences, my parents, and Henry that there's always hope, you just have to believe in it."

She paused to place her hand on his cheek to reassure him that she was there and that she was his.

"I don't know what else lies ahead of us but believe me; we'll find a way to each other, no matter what."

"Aye, love, I couldn't agree more." He replied and then kissed her to show just how much he agreed.

"Bloody witch," He sighed when the kiss ended and he rested his forehead against hers. "If she hadn't cursed your ring I think I'd be proposing again right now."

"I don't need a ring, Killian, or a vow renewal to make this feel real. I just need you." She told him then leaned in for another kiss.

CS

They arrived at Granny's and Emma smiled when she saw Henry sitting next to Regina and across from Robin. They looked happy together and she was glad Regina seemed to be getting her happy ending after all. So she and Hook got their drinks to go and went back to their room so as not to disturb them. Sure they had a lot to talk about with Henry, but that could wait a little.

"I'm sorry, Killian." Emma sighed as she plopped down on the bed. "For getting angry earlier. I overreacted. You were just doing the best you could to protect Henry."

"It's fine, Swan, you were upset, I understand." He replied calmly as he sat down next to her.

"No, it's not fine." She shook her head and her voice unintentionally raised a little. "I'm not a single mom anymore, we're in this together and I can't get mad at you for doing your job."

"But I didn't." He sighed, looking down at his coffee instead of her. "I failed and because of me a monkey nearly got him and Zelena _did_ get her hands on him. If you weren't there I…"

"Hey, don't go down that road." She stated when he trailed off. "I was there and Henry is safe. You didn't fail, Killian, you held them off until I got there and then I finished it off. That's called teamwork and that's how parenting is supposed to be. Yes, you made a mistake by not telling me but it happens to everyone and it doesn't mean you failed. At the end of the day, Henry is safe and that's all that matters. So, no more feeling like a failure?"

"No more, love." He nodded and pressed a kiss to her temple.

"Good." She nodded and returned his kiss and wrapped her arm around his shoulder and leaned on him. "You know a lot of bad happened today, but I still feel good. Henry is safe and he remembers, Regina broke the curse, my parents are alive and about to have a baby any time now, we're gonna stop Zelena, and we're gonna get our happily ever after. And you're gonna propose as soon as we get the curse off that ring. You know, I can't wait to see how you top the first time."

"Is that a challenge, love?"

"What? Afraid you can't handle it?" She baited him. She should probably be nice to him considering what he just went through but she couldn't help it. And it was well worth it.

"Oh, I believe you're the one that won't be able to handle it and I'll make sure of it." He told her and this time it was him that grabbed her and pulled her closer for one of many intense kisses.

CS

"Well, don't you look like the cat that ate the canary?" Regina commented with a smug and knowing look when Emma approached her and Henry outside Granny's.

"More like you're a cat that was killed by curiosity." She shot back because this was not a conversation she wanted to have with Regina, especially in front of Henry.

"Duly noted." Regina frowned then turned to Henry. "I love you, Henry. Stay safe and I'll see you later."

"Okay, bye, Mom, and I love you too." Henry replied and the two shared a hug then Regina went back into Granny's.

"So, wanna tell me how things went with Regina and Robin?" Emma suggested and nodded towards the street and they started walking together.

"It was good to be with Mom again. I didn't realize how much I missed her." He told her then quickly added, "I mean the year with you was great and our time here so far but…"

"It's okay, kid, I know what you mean. I didn't realize how much I missed your grandparents until I showed up at their door. And I gotta say you really had guts showing up at my place in Boston because I was near scared to death when I did it." She shared with him.

"It wasn't too bad. I knew you couldn't say no even if you didn't believe me and that you would eventually." He shrugged.

"And you were right as usual." She sighed and playfully nudged him with her elbow.

"And I was also right about Robin and that was before I even remembered. Mom really likes him and he's pretty cool." He said then told her a story that Robin had told him.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. And you're okay with Regina being with Robin?" She asked curiously hoping that if he was okay with that that it would be easier for him to get used to the idea of her and Killian now that he knew he was also Hook.

"Yeah I mean, he's Robin Hood. The only one better with a bow and arrow is Mary Margaret." He told her with excitement then turned a little more serious. "But really, he's a nice guy and he makes Regina smile. And I don't mean the smile she has when she wins or gets her way. Or even when she sees me. I mean really smile, like when Mary Margaret sees David or you see Killian."

"Wow, you're really observant, kid." She said but she wasn't sure why she was surprised.

"I like to think I learned from the best." He smiled. While he might have learned to be observant from her, he definitely inherited his grandfather's charm and his father's gift for flattery. "And speaking of observing things, you and Hook are a lot closer than I remembered. Does that mean what you and he told me in New York is true? What about Neal?"

"You know, this is why exactly why I wanted to talk to you. But now that we're here..." Emma sighed as she sat down on a park bench. This was a lot harder than last time. "Neal never was your dad, kid. I never should have let him assume that he was. I can come up with a million excuses why I did but they all boil down to the fact that I was scared. I know that's not a good enough reason and that I should have told you the truth the second I met you. But I can't change the past no matter how much I wish I could."

"So why didn't you? What were you so scared of?" He wondered after a moment of silent thinking.

"When Hook came to town he was so focused on his revenge. I didn't want to let him into either of our lives just for him to leave because I thought for sure Gold would kill him and he almost did. But I shouldn't have let the problems I had with him get in the way of you two getting to know each other. You're pretty lucky, kid, to have two moms that love you but you need a dad too and I should have given you that sooner."

"Is that why you went along with story that Neal was my dad? Because you thought the guy that left you in the past was better than an angry pirate?" He questioned her, not quite accusingly but clearly frustrated.

"That's just it, kid, I wasn't thinking. When I saw him I was shocked and I just kept replaying what happened in my head. It hurt, a lot. But not as much as losing Killian and it was easier to let Neal into our lives because it wasn't as much of a risk. The easy way is almost never the best way though and the things truly worth having never come easy. By the time I realized that and told Neal and Killian the truth I was too afraid to tell you for a different reason. If Gold had known last year that you weren't his grandson, he might not have helped us save you from Pan. And not only that, he could have killed you and none of us wanted that."

"I still wish you had told me sooner but I guess I understand." He sighed after a few minutes of considering what she'd told him.

"I know. I never meant to keep things from you, it just happened. And I am really sorry." She said then took a deep breath. "You know, while you were with Regina, Hook and I had a talk. He said he felt like a failure for his mistake in not telling us what happened with Zelena and you being at risk because of it. I told him every parent makes mistakes and it turns out I've probably made this biggest of them all."

"Actually, I'm pretty sure Gold made the biggest mistake, or Pan." He corrected her but she knew what it meant, he'd forgiven her. There was still a little hurt just like there was some when she learned the truth of why her parents gave her up. But she couldn't ask for a better relationship with her parents now and she hoped Henry would feel as she did in the future.

"But I know how you can make up for that mistake." He stated with a bit of a mischievous grin that slightly mirrored Killian's.

"And what's that?" She asked dubiously.

"Let me drive the Bug back to Granny's so he and I can talk and get to know him better?" He suggested hopefully.

"I think if you leave out the first part that sounds like a great idea." She told him. She'd seriously have to have a talk with her dad about toning down his 'fun' side. Hopefully now that his memories were back Henry would be satisfied with wooden swords again and forget about cars for a few more years.

"Ah, come on, Mom, you can't get good at something unless you practice." He tried to convince her.

"Yeah, but it's illegal until you're sixteen no matter what your grandfather says." She stated and gave him a look to tell him the discussion was over.

CS

"Would you look at what the tide dragged in." Killian said with a smile as she and Henry approached the table he was sitting at outside Granny's. "My two favorite people in Storybrooke. Just don't tell Dave I said that."

"Well, you did bring cocoa with cinnamon so I guess we can be persuaded not to tell." She shrugged as she made a show of actually debating it. "What do you say, kid?"

"I'd say so." He nodded and quickly sat down to start enjoying said cocoa.

"So, how was your walk? Please tell me you didn't run into Zelena." Killian asked as she took a seat as well.

"No, our walk was nice and we had a good talk. Zelena's probably back at her farm house licking her wounds. Let's hope it takes a few days to come up with her next plan so we can get a bit of a break before the finale." She shook her head.

"I somehow doubt that. But I'm glad you two had a good time." He told them and gave her a look. One that said he was happy and this was what a family moment was supposed to be like and she agreed. "Now, Henry, I don't know what your mother told you just now. But I do know what she told you in New York. And nothing's changed. I don't expect anything from you. I just want to spend time with you. But now that you remember that I'm Captain Hook and a villain, I'd understand if…"

"No," Henry suddenly stated and shook his head. "You're not a villain, Hook. Zelena and Rumpelstiltskin, they're the villains. You weren't the one that had your hand around my neck. Not only did you try to protect me from her, you also weren't about to let me go back to New York by myself. I don't know how much good Smee actually would have done but he'd have kept an eye on me until you told Mom where I was. I appreciate that."

"Think nothing of it, lad. As I said, a father protects his child no matter what. And I'm not just any father; I'm also a captain and a gentleman. Which means doing the honorable thing and fatherhood is an honor I never thought I'd have."

"I thought you'd say a good captain always goes down with the ship." Henry joked while she rolled her eyes and Killian laughed good-naturedly.

"Well, lad, I never intend to be in that situation where my ship is sinking." He told him and she hoped so.

"Hey, you never did tell me what happened to your ship and how you avoided the curse without it." She mentioned curiously then turned to Henry. "And what was that about New York on your own?"

"Um…" They both trailed off with hesitant and guilty looks on their faces. What Henry did, didn't really matter since he didn't really leave. But she wondered what Killian was keeping from her now.

"Emma!" David yelled as he ran out of Granny's. "The baby's coming!"

* * *

 **So last chapter it was Killian getting punched by David and this one is saved by David. This was about mending as the title said and I hope I did justice to it and got the right emotions to come across. Emma thinking that talking to Henry this time was harder was really me saying it was harder to write. But I hope you enjoyed it and I know you'll enjoy the next one called First Breath. For a baby's first breath as Prince Neal arrives and for a reason involving Killian and my spin on something Zelena does to him. I'm pretty sure you guys have a good general idea of what's coming up and I'd love to hear your theories on how it'll differ from the show. So please review and see you next Monday!**


	31. First Breath

Standing around the hospital pacing was not helping Emma relax at all. She avoided hospitals if she could but she wanted to be there for her mom. Even if she wasn't in the room with her, she could still protect her if the witch came around. She couldn't wait for it to be over, both the labor and the tension of waiting for Zelena's next move. And that's when the idea popped into her head. Why wait when she could take the fight to her and just end this?

She tried to go on her own but Killian and David wouldn't hear of it. So she and Killian said goodbye to Henry, who had total confidence in her which was encouraging, and then they set off for the farm house Zelena was hiding out at.

"You're awfully quiet, love. What's worrying you?" Killian asked as she parked the Bug. She'd driven as far as she could but it would be walking from here on to hopefully surprise Zelena.

"You mean besides the fact that I'm about to face the Wicked Witch that wants to kidnap my mom's baby as soon as it's born for a time travel spell?" She asked sarcastically as she started walking up hill, something that wasn't helping her mood.

"Swan, you have nothing to worry about. Zelena is clearly underestimating you and your family for even attempting this. She won't even know what hit her and with any luck you'll be back at the hospital before the new little royal arrives."

"I don't think it'll be over that quickly." She told him. "And of course you think it'll be easy. You're not the one that's going to face her."

"I might not have magic, love, but nothing will stop me from protecting you if need be and I have no intentions of leaving your side for a moment. And aye, it is easy for me to say that because I have every faith in you. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I have yet to see you fail, love." He told her with a reassuring smile.

She smiled back, hoping he was right, and took a step closer to him and reached for his hand. But the moment was quickly ruined.

"Aw, you two are so adorable." Zelena spoke, suddenly appearing in front of them. "But instead of looking for each other, maybe you should be focused on me. Although without magic, that could prove to be a challenge."

"Next time you try to take my power, why don't you try cursing someone whose proposal I'll actually accept." Emma stated and she knew that sounded harsh but she quickly turned back to look at Killian. "It wouldn't be right to say 'yes' to someone when I'm already married to a dashing rapscallion."

She watched as his face turned from confused by the first part of her statement to hopelessly in love. But a shared look was all they got before Zelena was once again interrupting.

"A confession of love, how sweet. Too bad it'll be your last because you have two choices, Emma. Keep your magic and defeat me, thus saving your brother, you family, and Regina. Or save just the pretty pirate and lose your magic." Zelena stated her ultimatum then turned to Gold.

With just a flick of his wrist Emma was suddenly seeing her world in slow motion as she watched the necklace with her ring wrap around Killian's throat and she was unable to move. Whether it was from shock or part of whatever Gold was doing she didn't know but all she could do was watch helplessly as Killian fought to pull it away but that only made it tighten more.

She also didn't know how much time passed. It was probably only seconds but it felt like hours as she watched him collapse to the ground then a few agonizing moments later he was unconscious. Satisfied by their evil deed, Zelena used her magic and she and Gold disappeared and Emma rushed to Killian's side the moment they were gone.

He wasn't breathing but his heart was still beating which was a good sign but even that wouldn't last long. She tried pulling at the necklace but even with Rumpelstiltskin gone it wouldn't budge. There wasn't time to look for a third option and she wasn't about to risk his life any more than she already had by wasting more time. So she grabbed the cursed ring and slipped it on her left ring finger. As soon as she did she felt the wind get knocked out of her as her magic left. But she didn't care about that. The fact that the necklace had magically unraveled was all that mattered.

If her world had felt like it was in slow motion before, now it felt like it had come to a complete pause. He still wasn't breathing and for the longest, most awful second of her life she feared that it was too late, that he was...

Then as if someone it the fast forward button, tears began falling from her eyes as she watched his chest rise just enough for air to fill his lungs. She let out a sob of relief when his eyes opened and he let out a cough or two then started to breathe. They were shallow and he was breathing harder than he should be but she knew he would be alright, that she hadn't been too late.

"Swan," He rasped out as his hand went to soothe his neck and she saw the lightbulb go off as his eyes widened. "What did you do? What did you do?"

"It doesn't matter." She shook her head and held his hand in hers.

"But…" He tried to argue but she quickly shushed him and placed a finger over his lips.

"I know you love the sound of your own voice but let's save the pointless arguing until after you've let your throat rest. You didn't just wake up from a nap, you got strangled." She told him as her voice rose toward the end. Not because she was angry at him but at Zelena. And also herself for not slipping the ring on her finger as soon as Killian told her what happened earlier.

"My throat would be fine if you hadn't given up your magic and you could heal it." He still argued hoarsely as she helped him stand up.

"No, I wouldn't because if I hadn't there'd be nothing to heal. You'd be dead, Killian!" She shouted and tears came to her eyes again as the gravity of what could have been hit her.

She expected him to say something but apparently he'd decided to humor her for now and keep quiet. But that didn't stop him from brushing away her tears then wrapping his arms around her as tightly as he could. His arms made her feel safe but what really comforted her was the feel of the rise and fall of his chest.

"Don't ever do something like that to me again." She whispered and placed her hand against his chest while the other one rested on his neck.

"Aye, love, I truly am sorry." He whispered and placed a kiss atop her head and buried his nose in her hair.

"I know." She sighed. "And I expect you to make it up to me."

"Your wish is my command, love." He smirked and gave her a mock bow.

"It better be." She stated then couldn't help but laugh. She was probably crazy for laughing at a time like this but it felt good and helped relieve some of the lingering tension. "Come on; let's get back to the hospital. I might have a baby brother waiting to meet me by now."

CS

When they got back to the hospital, her brother was not waiting for her. She would never regret saving Killian but knowing that another child had been taken from her parents as a result of it, she felt incredibly guilty. Her dad and Killian tried to tell her that she hadn't failed but how could she fix things without her magic? Wasn't that the whole point of her mom casting the curse to bring them back to Storybrooke and splitting her heart?

But Henry came up with the third option they'd all be searching for, Regina. Emma didn't believe a lot of things when she first arrived in town a couple years ago. Eventually she did though, but if anyone had told her that the once Evil Queen would defeat Zelena she would've questioned their mental health. But it was crazy enough that it actually worked.

"Never thought I'd see one of those." Killian commented as he came to stand beside her where she was watching her mom reunite with her little brother. Thankfully they were only separated a couple hours at most not twenty-eight years.

"It's called a baby." She told him, intending for it to be sarcastic but failed miserably.

"No, Swan, the smile." He clarified.

"We won." She replied, said smile still on her face but then it changed to a puzzled look. "And what do you mean? It's not like I never smile."

"Aye, but ever since you learned of the Wicked Witch, it hasn't reached your eyes. There's always been a look of worry or stress beneath it. But now, well, that's the one I fell in love with." He told her then gave her a kiss.

"I love you too." She whispered and once again rested her head against his chest to reassure herself that he was alright.

"With all the chaos I never got a chance say to thank you." He said as he wrapped his arms around her.

"You really think I'd let you suffocate?" She asked as she pulled back enough to look him in the eye.

"No, I never doubted you, Swan. But at the time neither of us had any idea that Regina could defeat Zelena and it was either save me or your family and I…"

"You are my family, Killian." She interrupted him. "I knew what was at stake but I couldn't lose you. Killian, it might be my destiny, fate, or whatever to save this town and the people in it. But you and Henry will always come first. And in the back of my mind I knew we'd find another way to defeat Zelena, we're the heroes after all, and there was still a little time to figure it out and we did. But to save you, there was only seconds…"

"You're right, love, we won, we all made it through, and that's all that matters." He told her. "Now, how about we put it all behind us and move on by properly meeting the newest member of our family."

"Hey, kid!" She stepped aside and called out to Henry, who was at the vending machine. "Wanna meet your new uncle?"

Henry didn't waste any time coming over to them then together all three of them stepped into her mom's hospital room. Mary Margaret was holding the baby, David had one hand on her mom's shoulder and one on hers, she had her hand on Henry's arm, and Killian had his hook resting on the small of her back. Her family was all here, safe, sound, and connected. Just the way it should be.

CS

"Wow, this place is still standing. I'm impressed." Emma stated as she walked into her parents' loft.

While her parents were at the hospital she thought it'd be a nice gesture to straighten the place up for them. Then she had run out to Granny's for dinner and left Killian and Henry by themselves. When she left Henry was showing him how different things worked, like the toaster, and she was glad they hadn't burned the place down or blown a fuse.

"Come on, Mom, you know I'm responsible and I know what I'm doing with stuff. Killian on the other hand well…"

"Hilarious, mate." Killian mumbled sarcastically but she could see the upturned corner of his mouth and knew he thought it was a pretty good pun. She'd probably hear him repeat the line later on when Henry wasn't around and act like he came up with it himself.

"How about our resident court jester grabs us some paper plates while I go set up a movie. I think I remember something about an I.O.U. that a certain pirate promised once Zelena was taken care of." She suggested with a wink in Henry's direction.

"Yes!" Henry cheered and quickly went about setting things up so they could eat in front of the TV.

"Are you serious, Swan?" Killian asked her incredulously. "You're going to subject me to this after I nearly died earlier?"

"Don't worry, pirate. If I didn't let you die before I won't let it happen now. You might not be thrilled by the end of it but you'll survive." She placated him and led her reluctant husband over to where Henry was excitedly waiting for them.

Things started off not so bad. He was thrilled to see the boys playing pirates, especially the one portraying him. Then came the first of many interruptions.

"If this is the same Darling family that we know, then where's Baelfire? Or in this story, is he already on my ship?"

"Actually he's not in this story at all. Rumpelstiltskin doesn't have a son because he's not Rumpelstiltskin. He's an actual crocodile with a tail, sharp teeth, the whole nine yards." She told him.

"If he's an actual crocodile then how'd I lose my hand? I'd never be foolish enough to wrestle one of those things or get bit by one."

"He doesn't take your hand. It was…just watch." She sighed, suddenly realizing that maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

Finding out that he lost it after Pan bested him would be a pretty big blow. In real life he lost it with dignity at least by not giving into Gold's demands after he had just murdered Milah in front of him. But here it was because Pan bested him in a duel, something the real Hook would never let happen in three hundred years.

And watch they did. Actually since they had both seen it before she and Henry were mostly watching Killian and trying not to laugh at his mumblings about what a little monster Pan really was. And he actually had a good laugh when he saw Smee. He tried to tell them he wasn't really that bad but his laughter wasn't helping to convince them. Then came the moment she and Henry had been waiting for.

"Who the bloody hell is that? He's worse looking than Blackbeard and that's saying something!" He questioned, not yet realizing it was 'him' as all he saw was the face.

"Blackbeard's real?" Henry asked him curiously, temporarily distracting him.

"Aye, though he's hardly an honorable one like myself, I'll tell you that." Killian told him and the look on his face was one she couldn't quite decipher. She was going to ask when his attention went back to the movie as Smee called the guy that was uglier than Blackbeard, captain.

"NO!" He gasped and sat there with his mouth wide in shock. "No, I've done a lot of wrong in my life but nothing that deserves this! Bloody hell! Tell me there's another pirate in this story you've neglected to tell me about because there is no way in the seven seas that that hideous being is supposed to be ME!"

"Killian, calm down. It's a kid's movie. The villain is supposed to be ugly and stupid." She told him but it was apparently the wrong thing to say.

"But I'm not a bloody villain. I mean I was but I never did anything half as terrible as Pan. He is the true villain not I!" He stated as he stood up in outrage.

"I know, Killian, I know." She said gently as she stood up with him and placed her hand on his cheek. "You're a pirate, but you did it for honor. And you were a villain but you've become a better man. I know that, you know that, and Henry knows that. And that's what matters, not the idiot in the movie. The people that made that movie don't know the real you, but we do, Killian."

"She's right. It wasn't the Captain Hook that this world knows that helped save me from Pan, it was you. And it was you that came back for in New York just like you promised." Henry added with an encouraging smile. "Truth is, I think it's good that this story is the way it is. Kids shouldn't have to know or worry about the real Peter Pan like we did. As for you, well, the greater the hero, the greater the injustices they have to face. Right?"

"Aye, lad, I believe you're right." Killian nodded appreciatively and Emma was once again stunned by her son's ability with words.

"I usually am." Henry replied with a smug look that could only have been learned from his father. "Can we finish the movie now?"

"Now wait a minute, Killian doesn't have to endure anymore of this if he doesn't want to." She interjected knowing this was just the beginning and it would get worse.

"It's alright, love, I gave my word to the lad and I intend to keep it." Killian told her and sat back down to finish the movie. "Just tell me there's a movie where Dave is the one to suffer such an injustice."

"Sorry, pirate, but I think you're out of luck. My dad's pretty normal. Regina on the other hand…" She trailed off wondering if Regina every tried to band that movie from existence.

"Wait, Mom, I got it!" Henry announced with both an excited and mischievous grin. "Shrek 2!"

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter with a little bit of everything in it. A bit of fluff, life-threatening drama, more fluff, then some family time. I'll admit this didn't end the way I intended. I thought it'd be more funny than fluff. Also not sure if Charming from Shrek is supposed to be Snow White's prince or not but I couldn't resist. My take on what happened to Killian on the other hand worked out exactly as I hoped. What did you guys think of it? Next chapter, Follow Me, picks up at the party at Granny's. Some of you have wondered if the baby will still be named Neal and tbh I'm still debating but I have been looking into other names. So keep reading and see. And keep up the awesome reviews! Can't believe how close it's getting to 200! And I can't thank you enough!**


	32. Follow Me

"Really? I can't hear the kid's name yet but I have to hear this story again?" Emma asked as Henry read her parents' story to her baby brother at Granny's. She'd been asking ever since Mary Margaret was released from the hospital but her parents insisted that they keep with some royal tradition.

"Well, my son should know where he comes from." David replied proudly.

"Are you sure you want the first thing he knows is that his parents fell in love during an armed robbery?" She said a bit teasingly. This definitely wasn't the story that the rest of the world knew when they heard about Snow White.

"I wasn't armed!" Mary Margaret quickly said in self-defense.

"Except with a rock." Ruby corrected her.

"I still have the scar." David said pointedly and Emma was pretty sure he enjoyed playing the victim card on that one.

"Which healed." Her mother told him then turned to her baby boy. "But that's just how we met, it's not how we fell in love."

"Yeah, that was a bit more complicated." David said then a mini battle began to see who could out to the other with saving each other.

Emma was still a little put out that they were keeping the name from her. Shouldn't close family be an exception to the rule? But all in all she was glad for the celebration and chance to have a normal family moment with the teasing, reminiscing, and her pirate sticking his foot in his mouth.

"King Midas' daughter, the man who can turn anything into gold? Why would you leave that opportunity?" He asked and she gave him a quick elbow to the ribs.

'Once a pirate always a pirate.' She thought to herself and shook her head.

"You just had to find her first." Ruby commented then began to explain more of the story. "She ran away and was living on a farm."

"Oh, it sounded like such a peaceful life at the time, leave everyone and everything behind." Snow said with a reminiscent smile.

"Like mother, like daughter." Killian scoffed then took a sip of whatever alcohol he was drinking.

"Hook!" She said and turned to him with a look. She wanted to yell too but also didn't want to cause a scene.

"What is he talking about?" Henry looked up and asked.

"Should we read more stories?" Her dad suggested, hoping to relieve the obvious tension.

"Actually, I'd like to know what the pirate is talking about." Regina stated suddenly come over to them with Robin.

"It's nothing." She told them. And that was the truth but thanks to the pirate sticking his foot in his mouth again everyone had the total wrong idea.

"Are you planning on going back to New York?" Regina asked her.

"Why would we go back to New York?" Henry asked in confusion.

"You're not." Regina answered matter-of-factly. "Right, Miss Swan?"

"Relax, Regina, I'm a blonde but I'm not that stupid." She sighed, feeling awkward and uncomfortably tense. "We're not going anywhere. Hook and I just had a small disagreement that he refuses to let go. That's it."

"Is everything okay?" Her mother asked out of concern.

"What does that have to do with wanting to leave everyone behind?" Ruby questioned her.

"I don't!" She insisted. "I just made some calls yesterday to get our things boxed up from New York. But I didn't want more outsiders coming here so I looked up a storage unit in a town that's twenty minutes down the road. When I did I saw a renovated hunting cabin for sale in the area. I thought it was nice but Hook didn't like it. That's it, so nothing to worry about."

"Why would you want a new place anyway?" Her dad asked. "Henry remembers now so you can move back in with us."

"I appreciate the offer, Dad, but you and Mom have this new little guy. You don't need us around too. And as nice as Granny's is, I'm tired living out of two rooms, and I think it's about time we got a place of our own." She said and looked at both Henry and Hook and smiled.

"Really?" Henry asked, back to his happy excited self.

"Yeah, kid, as soon as we find a place we all agree on." She nodded.

"Oh, Emma, I'm so happy for you guys." Mary Margaret gushed and probably would have given her a bear hug if she wasn't on the inside of the booth with a baby.

"Wow, you look really relieved. Did you really think I'd try to leave here for good?" She asked and tried not to be hurt by the assumption.

"No! Of course not!" She replied quickly, too quickly. Her mom was an even worse liar than she was.

"Okay I know I have a record of running away, but really? Have all of you just been waiting for the shoe to drop and for me to pack up and leave?"

"Can you blame us?" Regina asked in a tone that screamed 'duh'. "You've said multiple times that you were only here to help out with Zelena."

"First off, it was only once. And second, I said that because Henry was listening and he didn't know what was really going on here." She corrected her and was getting more irritated by the second.

"And who's fault is that!?" She demanded.

"Enough of this, Regina, he knows now and it's time to put that behind us." David stated calmly, trying to smooth things over then turned to Emma. "We just didn't want to get our hopes up. You had a good life in New York and we would understand if you wanted to go back to that. We all know how much you want a normal life."

"I do, but not this world's version of normal. I just want a life with my family, my whole family." She replied. "I also I think I want some air."

And with that she quickly left the diner before anyone could stop her and hopefully no one followed her. Sure, she was kind of doing what she just said she wouldn't. But running out of the diner was different than running back to New York. And she'd be back in time to hear her brother's name announced. She just needed a minute and Zelena would die and come back to life before she missed the big reveal.

CS

"If you really wanted fresh air you should have gone to the docks, love. Nothing like good salt air to clear your mind." Killian commented as he came to sit next to her.

She wasn't surprised that he followed but she was hoping for a little more time to herself before he came. She knew he wouldn't push her to talk but he always got her to open up somehow.

"I think you might be a bit biased on that, Captain." She couldn't help but tease.

"It might be true that trees clean the air. But these same trees have been here for decades. They see everything and are full of secrets. The sea is always changing though. The same wave never crashes up on the shore twice and when it washes back it can take away whatever your trouble is, if you let it."

"So can rum." She mumbled.

"Rum takes them away for a time. But they come back in the morning along with a bloody headache." He corrected her. "Besides rum is for the big issues. This was simply a misunderstanding and by tomorrow everything will be back to the way it was."

"And I'm sorry; love, for bringing up the house. I was joking and I didn't really mean anything by it and certainly not this." He apologized after sitting together in silence for a minute.

"I know you didn't." She sighed. "It really was just a misunderstanding I guess, between us and me and my parents. I should have talked to you before I got set on the idea of moving out of town. And I should have made sure my parents knew I wasn't gonna leave. They have their fears, same as me. I can't fault them for that."

"Aye, but don't you fault yourself either, Swan. These things happen. And a bit of emotional distress is quite understandable after all we've been through the last few days." He assured her with an encouraging smile. "Now, what do you say to heading back? After all the waiting, it'd be a shame to miss the royal proclamation."

"I say that sounds good." She nodded and leaned in to give him a kiss. But something caught her eye just before she closed it and say a beam of orange light in the sky. "What the hell is that?"

Killian replied that he had no idea and she took off towards it to find out what it was before he could stop her. On the way she listened to David's voice mail and figured out what was going on. Killian urged her not to mess with it since she still didn't have magic. But magic or not she was still Emma and it was her job to protect the town. She couldn't just leave it alone and risk everyone ending up back in time. And technically she broke the first curse without magic, because anyone could share true love's kiss, and she could fix this too.

But before she could do anything, let alone come up with a plan, the barn doors flew open. The portal was strong and effortlessly pulled them towards it. But just before she fell through, Killian dug his hook into the dirt to anchor them and she held his hand with both of hers.

"Hold on!" He yelled to her.

And she tried, she really did. But she could feel her grip slipping and only lasted a couple seconds longer before one hand gave out and the other tore away a part of his sleeve. She fell through the portal with a scream and sheer panic coursed through her as one thought sounded in her mind. It was happening again. Another portal was tearing her away from her true love. And once again she had no idea if she'd ever see him again.

CS

(Killian POV)

"Swan!" Killian yelled as she slipped from his grasp.

'No! How many times am I going to lose her?' He thought to himself.

He once told Rumpelstiltskin that, 'a man unwilling to fight for what he wants, deserves what he gets'. The last time he had lost her, not counting the past year, he also lost hope. He gave up the fight. But this time he would fight like hell to be with her, wherever this portal brought them. He pulled his hook out of the ground and followed Emma through the portal just before it closed.

He landed hard on the ground and groaned as he felt an ache everywhere when he tried to get up. But any complaints he was about to utter died on his tongue when he saw Swan on the ground a few feet away from him.

'She's alright.' He thought as he sighed in relief.

"Killian?" She gasped when she saw him and stared with her mouth open in shock. "You followed me?"

"Aye," He nodded. It was a small word, only three letters. But the stunning smile it brought to Swan's face made it seems as though he had told her he loved her for the first time.

Next thing he knew she quickly closed the gap between them. His arms wrapped around her on instinct and held her close. And she wrapped her arms around his neck them placed a passionate kiss on his lips.

"I was so scared." She whispered as she rested her forehead against his.

"I know, love, but we'll get back to Storybrooke together." He assured her then decided to lighten the mood a bit. "You'll have to do more than fall through a portal to get rid of me."

"Then I guess I'm stuck with you then." She sighed but he could hear the teasing in her voice. "But how are we gonna get back when we don't even know where we are or when?"

"Well, we're back in the Enchanted Forest, I can tell you that much, love. And don't worry, you'll find a way, you always do."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious." She stated sarcastically and rolled her eyes. "And how would I know how to get back to the future? Who do I look like Marty McFly? In case you've forgotten again, it was the Dark One that brought me back to my time and my world, not me."

"Marty McWho?" He questioned her, not sure he would ever understand some of things that were significant in her realm.

"The kid with the lightening, and the DeLorean, and they went back in time, and then…"

"Was he…some sort of wizard?" He asked, seeming to recall Henry talking about a boy that was a wizard with a magic wand that went to a special academy with a bloody ridiculous name.

"No, Marty McFly is not a wizard. He's…" She began to inform him then paused and looked at something behind him.

"What?" He asked as he turned round. And there on a tree was a wanted poster for her mother.

"I guess that answers when in the hell we are." She stated quietly and he could see the sadness in her eyes.

He opened his mouth to try and say something comforting. To reassure her that they would get back to their time and that she'd see her mother again in person and not on a poster. But then it was his turn to see something she couldn't, black knights.

CS

"Killian? What would you say if I said I might have an idea but you probably won't like it?" He heard her ask from behind the tree where she was changing.

They had just witnessed one of the Evil Queen's threats to some villagers about protecting Snow White. Emma of course wanted save the woman she had prisoner and he didn't like the thought of leaving the woman to die at Regina's hand either. But this wasn't Regina and things needed to go on as they were meant to if they were ever to get back to Storybrooke as they knew it.

"I'd say that as long as it doesn't interfere with things that are meant to happen, you'll probably be able to persuade me, love." He replied.

He was a little leery of what she might have in mind. But he trusted her and knew if anyone could get them out of this it was her.

"Well, I made it back to my world thanks to the Dark One. He took me and he brought me back. What if we can get Gold to do the same?" She suggested and she was right, he didn't like it.

"Love, I understand where you're coming from but the bloody Dark One isn't going to help me. The only reason we haven't killed each other in the present is because I love you more and somehow he feels the same about Belle. But this is before he cares for her and he won't hesitant to cut off my other hand or worse if he sees me." He pointed out.

"And don't suggest going to see him by yourself." He added, reading her like a book and knowing exactly what she was about to say. "I know you can take care of yourself but your magic is still gone and I don't want you making any deals with him. Besides as far as he knows, time travel isn't possible."

"But that's it. I think I was able to be with you because it wasn't a time travel spell. The previous Dark One was just bringing your true love to you. It would have worked whether I was born before your time, during it, or obviously after. And we can get back to our time by doing the same thing with Henry because I gave him true love's kiss." She explained her theory, and stepped out into view.

"Oh, that's much better." He said as he unabashedly admired the view. "Even more beautiful than I remembered."

"More like even more uncomfortable than I'd remembered." She mumbled. "I only wore the corset Milah gave me when we weren't on the ship. I'm worried about the lasting impression this one is leaving on my spleen. I think I got spoiled by her trying to make things easy on my since I'm not from this world."

"Your discomfort is a cross I'm willing to bear." He smirked then turned back to the subject at hand. "But I cannot bear the thought of leaving you to face him alone. He's more powerful in this land than you can imagine. And while your plan does sound like a good one, he can't be trusted, love."

"But…"

"No buts, Swan, we'll find another way." He stopped her. "Now, let's try to find a place of shelter until we can figure this out. We can't risk running into someone I might know or might recognize you in the future."

CS

They found a road and walked along it for some time, luckily without coming across anyone. He wished they had a horse to make the travel easier and also to recreate some of the adventures they'd had during their year together. If they were back in the past why not have some fun with it? But still he enjoyed the relatively peaceful walk with his swan. This was the quietest that things had been in a while and he was grateful for the time with her.

But all too soon it was over as they ducked for cover when he heard a carriage in the distance. He was glad it wasn't the Evil Queen as he had feared, but instead David and his fiancée. And Emma spotted Snow up in a tree, about to rob the prince. He thought he'd get to see the scene Henry had read about play out. But a startled Snow fell out of the tree then ran through the woods without stealing the ring and without meeting her future husband and father of her children.

* * *

 **Here you go guys, the first of many chapters in the past. And ever the romantic, Killian will find time to recreate the past a bit a some point. BTW I was in a rush posting this so sorry for any typos, I'll go back and reread later. Prepping for the holiday is fun but really messes with routines. And just a heads up I won't be updating the day after Christmas but next week is still good. Better than good actually with "Double Trouble" featuring Killian and Captain Hook! Lastly, THANK YOU for the reviews last chapter! I cannot believe there are 198 of them, way more than I ever expected! You are all amazing! Keep it up and don't let Mondays and cold weather get you down!**


	33. Double Trouble

"Okay, I'm sorry, Killian, but I really think we need to find Gold now. I don't we can fix this on our own. And if my parents never meet…" Emma rambled anxiously after what she had just witnessed.

Because she accidently snapped a branch her mom was startled and fell of out a tree. By the time she recovered her dad and the guards were aware they had been ambushed and it was too dangerous to steal the ring. So the bandit Snow White ran off into the woods and never met Prince Charming.

"You'll never be born nor will Henry." Killian sighed. "I still don't like this but I believe it's our only choice now. I just hope he doesn't kill me on sit."

"Oh I wouldn't take that bet." A voice spoke from behind them. And speak of the devil there was Rumpelstiltskin in all his creepiness and that freaky laugh that would probably haunt her. She now understood why Killian nicknamed him the Crocodile. "I can't tell you how long I've been waiting for this. Oops, I suppose I just did."

As Killian predicted, Rumpelstiltskin didn't wait a second before using some force of magic to choke Killian without even touching him. Very similar images from a few days before flashed through her mind and she was determined not to let it happen again. Even when Rumple knocked her down she got back up and tried to distract him so he wouldn't fully suffocate her pirate. And it turns out she didn't need magic to win against the Dark One, just the right leverage.

"Because if you don't you'll never see your son again." She stated and she knew she had him and thankfully a moment later Killian fell to the ground but this time he was conscious and breathing.

"Bae. I find Bae." He said quietly when she told him she was from the future and answered all his questions. "How? Eh, don't tell me. If I succeeded I don't want anything in my head that might throw it off."

"It might already kind of be thrown off." She hesitantly admitted.

"You've changed things." He quickly understood. "What have you done?"

"We interrupted my parents meeting." She replied.

"Well then, let's get to work, dearies, because I'm not about to lose my son because of you two blubbering buffoons." He stated then engulfed them in a cloud of smoke to get to his castle.

CS

"You know if my fate and the fate of my parents weren't on the line right now, I'd say this is just like old times." Emma commented as they entered a tavern where Killian knew Hook would be.

"Aye," Killian nodded as they sat at a table in the back. "And as much as I'd like to take some time to relive a moment or two, it's too risky, love. But know that I still love you just as much as I did then if not more. I know there are not a lot of chances to show it with the chaotic nature of Storybrooke but…"

"I love you too, Killian." She told him after she silenced him with a kiss.

"And I you, Swan." He replied and returned the kiss before they both started searching for his past self. And it didn't take long to spot Hook especially when folks started cheering at his 'lucky' win.

"There I am. Rather dashing don't you think?" He pointed out. "As handsome as you remember, love?"

"I thought pirates weren't dashing?" She questioned him to avoid giving a true answer and inflating his ego.

"Well, a beautiful lass once called me a dashing rapscallion and any other term now pales in comparison." He stated with his signature smug grin.

"I wonder who that could have been." She said, playing along. But the a little worry set in. "Is this even a good idea? What about preserving the future?"

They already had the mess with her parents to fix while Gold worked on their portal home. She didn't want to risk messing up her future with him too. Or was it past meeting since that was over a year ago in present time. She really needed to get back before she brain exploded from a massive headache.

"It'll be fine. Given what I'm drinking, if I remember anything I'll simply blame the rum." He replied calmly and she supposed with all his experience with rum he probably knew best. "Just make sure that I…he remains occupied and doesn't return to my ship. I'll take care of the rest."

"Okay," She gave in and removed her cloak as well as loosened some of the laces of her top.

"Wha…what are you doing?" He suddenly questioned her when he realized what she was up to.

"Making sure he stays occupied." She replied and to be honest she was enjoying teasing him a bit. "It shouldn't be difficult. He and I both know I'm his type."

"Swan, that man sitting there, you don't know him." He said as he blocked her path. "I…he's not the same man you first met. And what you saw when I was working with Cora and hurt Belle, that wasn't half of how dark I was."

"A little darkness doesn't scare me. I did stuff like this all the time when I was a bail bonds person. Just be glad it's you and not some random sleaze ball." She said trying to lighten the mood but that approach didn't help any judging by his face. "Hey, even though Hook over there is a dark villain that's still cursed, you know deep down that he still loves me. I didn't just mean physically when I said I was his type. I'll be safe, Killian. I trust you, all of you."

She sealed her words with a chaste kiss; it wouldn't do to draw attention to themselves right now. But she still made sure he got the message before she gave his hand a squeeze then marched over to Captain Hook.

"What are you boys playing?" She flirted as she leaned over the table. And as soon as his blue eyes met hers she knew that she had him…well, hooked.

CS

(Killian POV)

Killian watched as Emma walked up to the table where his past-self sat. Hook had two women beside him but he knew they were already forgotten about. He knew Emma could handle herself but he also knew it wouldn't be long until Hook tried to take her back to the ship for a nightcap. So he took one last wistful glance, wishing it was he that was lucky enough to be the focus of Emma's attention, then exited the tavern and headed for the docks.

If one good thing came out of this, besides ensuring that Emma's parents met and seeing her back in this realm's dress, it was that he got to see the _Jolly_ again. True, it was only for an hour or two but that made the time on her all the more precious. The only thing he'd like better would be a chance to sail her one more time with Emma. But this wasn't a holiday and much more important things were at hand.

He still found time however to enjoy a little private joke with Smee about the rat on the ship before he went below decks to wait for Snow White to come aboard. And just like he made Emma ditch her red leather jacket so she wouldn't stand out and be recognized by Regina when she first arrived in Storybrooke, he made sure to stay in the shadows of his cabin so Swan's mother wouldn't catch on too soon when they met after the curse. It also helped add to the effect that he was still a fearsome pirate not to be messed with.

Killian had realized from the get go that Emma got her gumption from her mother but believed that she was most like her father. But the amount of Emma he saw in the bandit Snow was astounding. Turns out the most optimistic of people can go through hard times where escape seems to be the only option. He knew things had improved between Emma and her mother since first reuniting when the curse broke, but he wished she could see her now. But as long as Snow stole the ring, things got back on track, and mother and daughter were able to talk again in the future then that was the best Killian could wish for.

During his long life he'd made many deals with various people in this cabin and even though Snow seemed to find it a bit odd that he wanted a wedding ring, things went as well as expected. And just like during the missing year, he found that he enjoyed being a pirate again and easily slipped back into the role. But it was nothing compared to how he enjoyed being with Swan and their lad and their life together. So with Snow gone he was preparing to leave and go find her when she unexpected started making her way down the cabin. Bloody hell…

"What are you doing here?" Emma asked when she turned and saw him.

"I could ask the same of you. I thought I told you to keep him occupied?"

"I am." She stated as she took a deep breath.

"By taking him back to my ship?" He questioned incredulously.

"His ship." She argued.

"You know what I mean." He said and was tempted to roll his eyes as she very often did.

"I stalled as long as I could I thought you'd be gone by now." She told him in a rush. "I'll try to keep him above deck so you can get out of here."

It wasn't the best plan but it was what they had. But no sooner did the words leave her mouth that his past-self started making his way down. Killian ducked down and made his way around the room while Emma distracted Hook. Up until now he had tried his hardest not to think about how exactly Emma was stalling but seeing her kiss his drunken alter-ego if you will with his own eyes was like a spark lighting a fuse. He was right there at the ladder and could have made a clean escape. But when he heard what 'he' said to her the fuse reached the black powder and the cannon inside him went off.

"Are you kidding me!?" Emma yelled at him after he punched Hook, knocking him out cold. "How is that not gonna have consequences?"

"He was asking for it. And like I said, he'll blame the rum. Now let's get out of here." He replied not caring whatsoever about the consequences. He followed her out, leaving himself on the floor, and was glad that his other self at least was kind enough to get rid of Smee for them.

CS

(Emma POV)

Emma found that she was quite proud of herself for getting Hook drunk while hardly drinking anything herself. It was a tactic she'd used when picking up skips but she'd thought for sure he'd see right through. And also unlike those days before Henry knocked on her door, she found she was actually enjoying the flirting, it was something she and Killian never got to do. Not like this anyway.

Killian knew her from the moment she arrived in the Enchanted Forest and they got to know each other over long talks in his cabin, looking at the stars, or the traditional dinner route. But this was like meeting a stranger in a bar like a lot of people did in her world. And before it had been hard to be with Killian when he didn't remember her, but she found it was kind of fun keeping who she really was from Hook as 'just two ships passing in the night'. It felt good to let go a bit and see this side of him because he almost never let himself get drunk during their year together as it was bad form.

But she could only satisfy him with rum for so long. When he gave her the choice of accompanying him back to his ship she took it, hoping to distract him more along the way. She wanted to make sure Killian had plenty of time with Snow. She'd seen enough movies and knew it would be a bad idea to have both pirates too close, especially with one them drunk. And she really was surprised that they made it to the docks without incident, she had kind of been counting on him to drunkenly stumble or maybe just pass out. But he didn't so she took it upon herself to buy sometime and faked a trip over thin air.

"I think I should rest for a moment." She said hoping to sit against some crates and drink a little more as he had indeed held his rum and carried right out the door. It would be easier to get away from him if she wasn't actually on the _Jolly_ and if worse came to worse and Killian crossed their path she could 'accidently' push him off the docks to keep him from seeing what he shouldn't.

"Oh no need. I've carried rum barrels heavier than you." Hook said, not one bit deterred, as he lifted her up bridle style, and continued walking.

There went that plan but at least she saw her mother walk by and knew that she had given Killian enough time to do what he needed. She just really hoped he'd already left.

"Behold…the Rolly Joger!" Hook proudly yet very mistakenly announced.

If she wasn't so worried about how she was gonna get out of this and whether or not Killian was still on board she would laughed in his face. Then there was also Smee to worry about. But she easily redirected Hook's attention before his first mate could ruin anything. And she did allow a hushed chuckle to escape her lips as she headed for the captain's quarters. She also had every intention of teasing Killian about all this when they got back to Storybrooke.

She also intended to give him a piece of her mind about punching Hook. She was glad in a way because she didn't know how to get away. As much as she enjoyed kissing him as she always did, that wasn't what she was there for. She also wasn't sure how far things would have gone. Not that she really minded because whether he was a lieutenant, pirate, hero, or villain, he was still Killian. She loved him for who he was not what. But she was still a little annoyed for being so suddenly interrupted.

But apparently she wasn't the only one that was a little annoyed.

"Killian, are you alright?" She asked as they made their way to a spot where he said they could spy on the castle and the ball.

"Aye, love, but I'll be better when I know that your mother has gotten the ring." He replied but she didn't quite believe him.

"Hey, I'm concerned about that too. But this is my mom we're talking about, she'll do it." She told him as she grabbed his shoulder to make him stop and look at her. "But I know something else is on your mind and bothering you. It wasn't seeing the man you used to be, was it?"

"It wasn't just that, love. Knowing something is one thing but it's another to see it. And watching you kiss him…"

"Killian, I did what I had to, to distract him. And that was the only time we kissed the rest of the time I just keep him drinking." She stated a bit defensively. He couldn't really be jealous could he?

"I know what your intentions were, love, and I'm not upset with you." He assured her and placed his hand on her cheek. "But I also know his and you didn't deserve that. You deserve to be made love to not a drunken one night stand as you call it. You ought to be loved for your mind and your heart not just your outward beauty, no matter how gorgeous you are."

"Killian Jones," She stated his name and placed her hands on either side of his face. "Do you really think that there's any side of you that doesn't love me for who I am? You might never know what went on tonight but even without knowing who I was, a look I see every single day was there. It might not be the same love you have for me now but if things had gone further it would have meant more than just a night with a pretty tavern girl."

"I do love you, Emma, always." He promised and she smiled at him.

"I love you too." She replied and gave him a kiss to let him know that he was all she wanted. "Tonight was different and I enjoyed myself. But this…you and me hopelessly in love, by each other's side in everything, balancing each other out…this is what I really want."

She sealed her words with another passionate kiss then held his hand as they continued to their destination with Killian's mood much improved. When they reached a spot at the top of a hill she sat down and tucked her head into the crook of his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her and took out his spyglass. He assured her that her mother would have no problem sneaking in but she still didn't like the idea of just waiting even if her present company was the only person in the realm she wanted with her.

But all too soon the moment was quickly over and she felt that Rumpelstiltskin got too much satisfaction out of interrupting them. But at least he was holding up his end of the deal and being useful. He knew how to get them back with a special wand and gave them an invitation to the ball. She knew she was rightfully a princess but it never felt more real until the moment she entered the castle. And she never felt more thankful to have Killian by her side through all this.

* * *

 **A bit of jealous Killian but obviously things were smoothed out. I wanted to end on a good note since I won't be updating next week. But come January you are all invited to Midas' ball. As well as a journey with princes Charles and James to rescue Leia, though she doesn't need it. Pick a Partner will be written a little differently then I usually do it but I hope you enjoy it and I look forward to sharing it all with you. So Happy Holidays, warm wishes, and Happy New Year!**

 **P.S. here's a thanks for over 200 reviews!**

Pick a Partner

The previous day had been a whirlwind. First the celebration at Granny's, following Swan and easing her mind, preparing to return to her family only to go through a portal, ruining the moment her parents were supposed to meet, almost being killed by the Crocodile, making a deal with Snow, having to watch his past-self kiss his love, and attending a ball and having a marvelous dance with Emma. He thought that after all the chaos the night would end on a good note. Then Emma was arrested for helping Snow White, who had stolen the ring but dropped it during her escape.

Killian quietly left the castle after that and found a secluded spot to hide and rest a bit even though he knew he wouldn't get any asleep as long as Emma was at the mercy of the Evil Queen. And when morning light came he saw Dave leave the castle and knew he was going to search for Snow. So he followed him knowing that he couldn't free Emma on his own, and having her parents help him might help put them back on track.

When Dave stopped and began setting up a trap Killian wondered what he bloody hell he was up to. And when Snow came around and walked right into it he almost gave himself away with the need to laugh at the sight of her up in the air at 'Charming's' mercy. Watching the two of them reminded him of he and Swan and so many things about his darling swan made more and more sense. But as insightful as it was, it also made him miss her and worry about her all the more.

And just as he was surprised to see Snow looking for an escape and at a loss of hope, he almost didn't believe it when he heard Dave say he wasn't sure about true love. Sure, he had jested about giving up a marriage to Midas' daughter earlier, but seeing it with his own eyes truly changed his perspective. He was now determined to set things straight not just to ensure Emma was born but to make sure his mate got his happily ever after that he and Snow had fought so hard for.

"I once felt as you did, mate. And all it took was meeting the right person and everything changed." He told him, thinking of Emma of course.


	34. Pick a Partner

The previous day had been a whirlwind. First the celebration at Granny's, following Swan and easing her mind, preparing to return to her family only to go through a portal, ruining the moment her parents were supposed to meet, almost being killed by the Crocodile, making a deal with Snow, having to watch his past-self kiss his love, and attending a ball and having a marvelous dance with Emma. He thought that after all the chaos the night would end on a good note. Then Emma was arrested for helping Snow White, who had stolen the ring but dropped it during her escape.

Killian quietly left the castle after that and found a secluded spot to hide and rest a bit even though he knew he wouldn't get any asleep as long as Emma was at the mercy of the Evil Queen. And when morning light came he saw Dave leave the castle and knew he was going to search for Snow. So he followed him knowing that he couldn't free Emma on his own, and having her parents help _him_ might help put _them_ back on track.

When Dave stopped and began setting up a trap Killian wondered what the bloody hell he was up to. And when Snow came around and walked right into it he almost gave himself away with the need to laugh at the sight of her up in the air at 'Charming's' mercy. Watching the two of them reminded him of he and Swan and so many things about his darling swan made more and more sense. But as insightful as it was, it also made him miss her and worry about her all the more.

And just as he was surprised to see Snow looking for an escape and at a loss of hope, he almost didn't believe it when he heard Dave say he wasn't sure about true love. Sure, he had jested about giving up a marriage to Midas' daughter earlier, but seeing it with his own eyes truly changed his perspective. He was now determined to set things straight not just to ensure Emma was born but to make sure his mate got his happily ever after that he and Snow had fought so hard for.

"I once felt as you did, mate. And all it took was meeting the right person and everything changed." He told him, thinking of Emma of course.

As a lieutenant he figured he'd settle down one day but that his true love would always be the sea. Then he turned pirate and knew that the only woman that would consider him would be a tavern girl that fancied his looks and reputation but he wanted more than that. Then Emma came into his life and he knew that she was his true love before he even had the courage to utter those three heartfelt words to her.

"Princess Leia the one we're rescuing?" Dave asked him and he nodded and had to bite his tongue to keep from correcting him.

He was still getting used to the different name but he was grateful she had come up with it. They would have been in trouble a lot sooner if she hadn't been so brilliant on short notice. He was also grateful for the amount of time they had to actually enjoy the ball.

It wasn't his first royal ball, he'd been to many during his time in the navy and he'd snuck into a few as a pirate and had a sociable drink before doing something similar to what Snow was up to. And they had danced together many a time on the deck of his ship, under the stars, just holding each other close and swaying to the sound of the waves. There were also a few jigs during a village festival as well as their wedding reception. As peaceful and sweet as that was, it was nothing compared to leading her around the ballroom and getting a glimpse of what life might have been if she had been the princess she rightfully was. And watching her waltz around him, yes she now knew how to waltz, trusting him enough to do something clearly out of her comfort zone and putting the other ladies to shame was an astounding sight. He knew that sometimes she didn't feel like a princess but in that moment she had been and he was glad to share it with her.

"Aye, I'd go to the end of the world for her." He replied then smirked to himself and added, "Or time."

The prince just nodded, thinking it was just an expression. But he really had done both of those things and he hoped to do the latter again soon. As fun as it had been to play prince and princess before Regina showed up, his life was one of a pirate in love with a sheriff in Storybrooke with their son and a father-in-law that punched him for no reason. Well, he had some reason and he hoped to understand that more someday with a daughter of his own, when she was forty of course.

"And she for you I take it?" The prince asked out of polite curiosity and the question seemed innocent but it got him thinking.

If he had been asked this question before the previous Dark One took her he would have affirmatively answered, yes. But if he had been asked in Neverland he would've said, no, or that he wasn't sure. But now?

"I believe so." He said and rubbed behind his ear as he always did when a little nervous or unsure.

He wanted to believe that she would but he couldn't expect that of her. She'd already given up her magic to save his life; he couldn't ask anything else of her. But he…he'd give her anything and everything.

"But you're not sure. What's the problem?"

"There are many complications." He told him to keep from revealing too much.

Other than being currently separated he couldn't think of any complications between him and Emma. And it wasn't that he wasn't sure, he just never wanted to put Emma in such a position to find out what he already knew. She would follow him no matter how many times he told her not to.

"Family?" Dave immediately assumed. "Because my father is making things quite difficult for me."

"Aye there's that. I'm not so sure her parents approve of me." He spoke in half-truth. Snow had come around to him and was happy for him and Emma. But while Killian believed that David approved deep down, he was far from showing it on the outside if that last punch he'd given him said anything.

"Well, given the lengths you've gone to, to save her, they'd be crazy not to."

The irony of his words almost made Killian laugh. But that would have been too odd and there'd be no way to explain.

"Hope you remember that." He thought and ended up mumbling it aloud.

But before David had a chance to question him about the remark or continue with the man-to-man talk a shadow flashed before them.

"What the hell was that?"

"I think we're about to find out." Killian replied as they both drew their swords.

"Hey, who the hell are you?" David questioned the lass that he figured out was Ruby's past self.

"The name's Red, I'm a friend of Snow's. She sent me to help get you into the castle." The lass replied and pulled at the string that tied her cloak.

"How?" He asked her but knowing this was Ru…Red, he had a pretty good idea.

"You'll see." She said then took her cloak all the way off.

Even though he had heard that she was a werewolf before the original curse it was a shock to actually see her turn into one. She truly was feral and vicious looking and if he didn't know it was her he'd probably be a little worried about the outcome of a fight against such a creature, not that he'd ever admit he was a bit intimidated.

The wolf nodded to the cloak on the ground and he quickly picked it up and placed it over her. Red became her human self again and explained the plan that she had come up with. As a wolf she would distract the guard, Dave would take out the guard, he would toss the cloak back on her again, then they'd get Emma.

"I'm glad the wolf's on our side." He commented when the plan went off without a hitch.

But according to Ruby, who learned it from Snow, Regina usually only kept just one guard down here. So when Ruby heard footsteps none of them knew who or what to expect and he quickly drew his sword.

CS

(Emma POV)

Emma quietly sighed as she stared at the bars in front of her. Her day had gone from a nightmare when she scared her mom off before she could meet her dad, then to a little bit of fun with Hook, and then to a fairytale dream with her pirate that was a prince for a night. Now she was locked in a dungeon next to another woman and apparently tomorrow was execution day.

She pushed those thoughts from her mind though. She'd escape somehow because Killian wasn't the only survivor in the family. But until then she closed her eyes and thought back to her first real princess moment. Dancing at the ball with Killian was like nothing she'd ever done before. But first they had to be polite and talk with King Midas.

"I'm…prince…uh…" Her feared pirate captain stuttered when the king asked who they were. A rookie mistake really for both of them but luckily she wasn't a deer caught in the headlights like Killian. But if things weren't so risky she'd have to admit it was kind of funny to see him so unprepared and unsure.

"Charles. Prince Charles. And I am Princess…Leia." She answered confidently as she stated Killian's pseudonym but then her confidence waned a little when it came to her own fake name.

'Thank goodness for Henry's love of _Star Wars_.' Emma said in her mind as she curtsied to King Midas which was something she never thought she'd think.

After that though it was smooth sailing, very smooth sailing thanks to Killian.

"Wait. Are you saying you know how to do whatever this is?" She asked as she led her to towards the edge of the dance floor.

"It's called a waltz." He replied as he placed their hands where they were supposed to be. "There's only one rule…pick a partner how knows what he's doing."

And he certainly did know. She should have known not to question him, he was good at everything.

They'd danced before but it was more like a slow dance from her world. But this was unlike anything else. She'd been unsure at first but then he gave her a look to say 'stop overthinking' so she did and she easily fell into the steps when she just let him lead. She finally understood why her parents made such a big deal about this now. Sure, dancing at a bar with friends or a good looking guy was great but this had meaning. It wasn't just about finding the right partner, though she definitely had; it also really helped to trust your partner.

"Really? You get my first dance at my first royal ball and all you can say is 'I told you so'?" She asked but in all honestly she wouldn't have it any other way.

"I believe what I'm trying to say, your highness, is that you appear to be a natural." He complimented her and she was grateful. Not because she was vain but because it was always a small little fear that if she and her family somehow ended up living back here that she wouldn't fit in. And coming from someone who lived in this land longer than she'd been alive meant a lot.

While she was enjoying herself she knew the moment couldn't last forever but it ended sooner than she'd hoped when Regina arrived. Killian explained why she was there and it made sense but she still didn't feel comfortable. Then they overheard that Snow had been spotted so they quickly exited the ballroom just in time to see her get away.

"She did it." She sighed in relief. "She must have stolen the ring."

Then she heard her father's voice above them. "You can't hide from me! Wherever you are, I will find you!"

It wasn't exactly the story she knew but the essential plot was still there. She was just glad she didn't have to kiss her dad or anything like Marty and Lorraine before the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance.

But her hopes quickly came crashing down when she found the ring on the ground. Snow had dropped it during her escape. Then to put the cherry on top, she ran straight into Regina when she tried to leave the castle. Now, instead of chasing after Snow to make sure she had the ring she was sitting in a cell twirling it between her fingers.

"What's that?" The woman in the cell next to her asked.

"It's my parents'. I guess you could call it their wedding ring." She sighed as she stared at it.

She felt a lot like she did as she stared at the positive pregnancy test when she was in prison. She knew from the get go that she wouldn't be able to protect her baby and felt like a failure before it was even born. And now she felt like a failure to her parents. She had no doubt that David would find Snow, but without seeing the ring on her finger…

"And they entrusted you with it?"

"Sort of. I need to get it back to them." She replied quietly and she didn't just mean the ring. It was just a piece of metal and a stone but there was some much more she had to get back to them, her brother, their grandson, their happy ending.

The woman next to her spoke about how it felt to miss her family and she understood that completely. Her first time in a cell, Killian was the only family she knew and thought she had no hope of seeing him again. The second time wasn't so bad but it still hard to watch Hook walk away from her. But at least she had her mom to encourage her and give her hope.

Hope! And just like that she realized there was a wire wrapped around a spoon. It worked just like a bent paper clip and within minutes she, and here now ex-cellmate, were racing through the corridor. That was until she skidded to a stop when a sword was suddenly pointed at her.

"Swan!?"

"Killian!" She sighed in relief and didn't even care that she just said it in front of David who probably knew him as 'Charles'.

"What the hell are you doing? You're depriving me of a dashing rescue." He questioned her and seemed actually offended.

"Sorry, the only one who saves me is me." She stated with a smug air, she couldn't help but be proud of herself. How many could say they escaped from the Evil Queen? "Speaking of which, I'm not gonna be around much longer unless we find where this belongs."

"I think that belongs to me." David quickly took the ring from her and she let him have it even though it messed with her plans to get it to Snow first. But she took Ruby being with them as a good sign.

"You guys have a way out of here?" She asked them because she really didn't want to encounter more black knights.

"Follow me. Snow told me where to meet her." Ruby replied and confirmed Emma's thoughts that her mom couldn't be far if her best friend was here.

"Thank you, Leia." The woman she'd rescued said as she passed her and followed Ruby and David out.

"Swan, you didn't." Killian knowingly turned to her.

"She was supposed to be executed in the morning I couldn't just leave her there to die." She responded defensively. Bringing happy endings was her job and maybe she was meant to help more than just her parents.

"Actually if she's to die she pretty much has to." He stated and she wasn't surprised by his opinion but she certainly didn't agree with it.

"I hate to break up a reunion but we have to get moving. We have to find Snow White." David interrupted them and she sighed.

It wasn't just because he'd interrupted; it was because it wasn't his usual way of doing it. She actually kind of missed him being an over protective dad. Where was the man that punched Killian and rolled his eyes every time they kissed in public?

"Look, I don't want to argue, Swan, but this isn't over." Killian quietly told her as they followed a few steps behind the others.

"I know. I don't wanna argue either." She sighed and followed beside him.

"Thank you, by the way." She said a few minutes later, quickly glancing at him then looking back ahead. "I know I got out by myself but if there's anyone I could have run into, I'm glad it was you. You're always there for me."

"Aye, love, you can…" He began to reply then suddenly trailed off.

"What is it?" She asked and saw the look on his face, like he had seen a ghost.

"I'm afraid I found Snow." He said and she turned to see what he was looking at.

Her mother was being tied to a post by black guards as Regina watched.

"We have to get down there before it's too late!" She said as she turned to David. If any of them could save her it would be him.

"I don't think we can." He shook his head.

"No," She whispered as her eyes watered.

She was about to watch her mom die when the last time they spoke had been in a meaningless argument. Why did that one comment have to bother her so much? Maybe if she hadn't run out she wouldn't have ended up here, wouldn't have ruined her parents meeting and ultimately her mother's life.

If she could just talk to her one more time! She'd clear the air and apologize and listen without rolling her eyes to one of her hope speeches. But now she never wanted to hear another one again. If her father of all people didn't have hope how was she supposed to? The only reason she hadn't fallen apart was because Killian was holding her together physically and emotionally. She clung to him like the scared little lost girl she was as she watched the Evil Queen's fireball reach the kindling and the entire platform engulf in flames.

* * *

 **Happy 2017! I know you've been waiting for this and thanks for being patient. Hope you enjoyed the holiday and now things will go back to the normal schedule. And don't worry, even with the ending I gave this we all know Snow is fine (if being a bug counts as fine). It'll be the last chapter in the past and I do have some fluff in store, not a whole lot of room for it in this one, but plenty on the way next week. Anyway, thanks for reading, please review, good luck with New Year's resolutions, and see you next week with Back On Track!**


	35. Back on Track

Emma sat motionless on a log, blankly staring at the fire. But it was the angry flames that killed Snow White, her mother, that she saw. Killian tried to turn her away but she couldn't. Her body wouldn't move and her eyes were glued to the horrific sight before her.

"After my brother passed, all I could do was relive that final, terrible moment. Don't do that to yourself, love." Killian told her. Even though she showed no outward response she still wasn't surprised that he read her like a book and knew exactly what she was thinking.

"All we can do in times like these, is try to live in the here and now." He continued and rubbed his thumb across her cheek. She'd run out of tears a long time ago but the evidence still remained.

"Here and now." She repeated quietly, wondering where here was exactly and when was now. Was it here in the Enchanted Forest? Or in the future in Storybrooke? Was there even a future to return to since her mom was…dead?

"I'm still here." She realized. "How is that possible? We saw her die? Which means I would never be born?"

"You should have faded from existence." Killian stated, catching her drift.

"Exactly." She said and looked down at her hand to make sure there wasn't a whole in it like Marty's when he had almost run out of time. But she was all there thankfully and that meant…

"Well then perhaps…"

"She's still alive!" She cut him off. Too excited by what they'd discovered and even that was an understatement.

"If Snow is out there we have to find her!" She stated, immediately trying to come up with a plan while Killian swatted at 'cursed vermin'.

"Stay still, love." Killian ordered when the bug landed on her cape and he went to pick up a branch.

"Wait!" David yelled and ran towards them. "Don't harm that thing."

They both looked at him like he'd lost it. And even after he told them about his conversation with Snow about dust that could make the queen easily squashed, she was still a little unsure. But he was convinced and she had learned that because of their love her parents had a special connection. So even though this made top five on her weird list she believed that he was telling the truth and that the ladybug on his finger was Snow.

"She's saying something." Emma stated, still finding this a bit surreal.

"Wonderful. Anyone fluent in bug?" Killian asked sarcastically and any other time she would have been right there with him.

"She's calling for me." She heard a female voice say and she looked up to see Blue as an actual fairy.

It was a bit of a shock to see the modest nun with wings, a wand, and a dress that showed a good amount of cleavage. But if Blue could keep who they really were a secret and help her mom then who was she to critique?

And when she did, Emma hugged Snow for all she was worth and was so caught up in the moment she didn't even care that she was a complete stranger to her. But when she pulled away and saw the startled and confused look on Snow's face it hit her like a ton of bricks. It was almost déjà vu of when she found Killian and saw a similar look in his eyes.

Was this her fate? For everyone she loved to forget her at some point? Though, technically you can't forget someone that didn't exist yet. And at this rate she may never. True, her parents knew each other now but they clearly weren't the lovebirds she left behind in Storybrooke or found making 'tacos'. And Snow was clearly more interested in Red and that kind of hurt her too. She couldn't blame her but still.

"Looks like we're back on track, love." Killian said with a proud smile.

"Yeah," She nodded but she didn't even convince herself that she thought it was a good thing.

And Killian seemed to sense that too and wrapped his arm around her. He was always able to comfort her because he loved her, knew her, and understood her. He had been through just as much as her and thinking about that made her realize that he wouldn't be here now if he hadn't pushed passed it. She used to do that and advised others too as well, but somewhere along the way since getting here she'd gotten tired and given in to the hurt and gave up on hope.

But she was done with that now. She wanted to go home, be with her parents, her son, and finally find out her little brother's name. So when Killian led her away to the spot he had set up for them to sleep she closed her eyes and curled into him and had a peaceful sleep because she had hope that tomorrow night she'd be sleeping with her pirate in their own bed not on the ground. They'd be home.

CS

Last night Emma had been so determined to get home and she had a really good dream about her whole family spending the day at the park. She and her mom were talking while pushing her little brother on the swings. Henry was begging her and Regina for ice cream money, again. And her dad, Killian, and Robin were having a contest on the rock climbing wall. So when she woke up still in the forest she was a slightly disappointed, not to mention a bit crabby from the ache in her shoulder and back.

But her morning got better when she saw her parents talking. She couldn't overhear them but from the looks of it, it was like two teenagers that had a crush.

"They're warming up to each other." She commented with a smile. "This is good, this'll work."

"That may be, Swan, but we have another problem." He nodded towards the woman she'd saved and she sighed.

She knew he didn't agree and that this would come up sooner or later. But why couldn't it have been later? Much later.

She knew he was right in a way and that he knew more about this land than she probably ever would. But she just couldn't walk away from her knowing what her fate was, just because she believed in Snow White. Emma knew she couldn't save everyone hurt or killed during this time but she had an opportunity to help this woman and she wasn't going to let her suffer.

"She's just a sweet, innocent woman." She said hoping to convince him.

"What if she has a child that grows into a mass-murderer? Or gets tipsy some night and rides a horse into one of the dwarves so there are only six of them?" He questioned her.

To be honest she wanted to outright laugh at the last one. But she got his point. She could do something small and insignificant, like snap a branch at the wrong moment, and change all sorts of things.

"Who knows? And we're best not finding out. She doesn't belong here." He stated and a light bulb went off in her head when he did.

In the last of the movies, Doc Brown married a girl from the old west and they travelled through time together. Who was to say they couldn't take this girl from the past and bring her with them to the future? She might not belong here anymore but Storybrooke was a great place for people from the Enchanted Forest to start over.

Surprisingly Killian didn't argue much and came to the conclusion that it was the safest option. Their travel buddy however wasn't so open.

"With all due respect but…I don't trust you or believe you." The woman stated firmly.

Emma got the feeling there would be no reasoning with her. But she had worked too hard to set things right again to risk having things messed up now. Luckily she'd lived on a pirate ship for a year and knew more than one way to get the job done when talking things through didn't. It was the reason she was so good at her job when she was a bail bonds person.

"So unless you're kidnapping, I'm going to go find my family." She continued as Emma walked behind her and picked up large branch.

"Well then, I guess we're kidnapping you." Emma stated dryly after knocking the woman out and tossing the branch back on the ground.

"I knew I taught you well, love!" Killian said with a laugh she hadn't heard in some time.

She blushed a little at the praise and had a flirty quip on her tongue when her dad approached.

"What happened to her?" He asked them.

"She's, uh, resting." She replied, looking back and forth between the woman and her dad. "What's up?"

"Have either one of you seen, Snow? She went to the stream but she hasn't…" He started to tell them then realization dawned on his face and he began searching his pockets. "The ring! She took it!"

"Really?" She asked feigning concern. It would have been odd explaining why she was actually relieved by this.

Turns out her mom didn't need help after all and suddenly Emma wasn't sure why she was worried in the first place. Snow White was a bandit and she got the ring with no trouble the first time around.

"Do you know where she might be headed?" She asked to keep up the act but she already had a good feeling that she knew what, or rather where, the answer was.

"She was seeking passage on a pirate ship. There's only one way to get to the harbor from here. Troll bridge." He told them then took off to find Snow.

Many things had changed about her parents' story but everything was falling together. She knew what would happen at the troll bridge and…

"Oh no," She whispered.

"Swan, wait, the bridge, isn't that where you want them to be? Isn't that where Snow saved your father from the trolls?" Killian asked.

"Yes, but the only reason she was able to do that was because she had a weapon, the dust." She explained and she watched as he came to the same conclusion that she just had.

"She's already used it herself, bloody hell." He sighed and she seconded that.

"Come on, they're gonna need help." She said and took off after David, hoping they'd get there in time.

And they did. But not to save the day, rather to watch something take place that put every chick-flick to shame. She had heard the story so many times now of how her parents fell in love. But seeing it unfold in front of her, after she'd been so scared this would never happen at all, it was unlike anything else she'd ever witnessed.

"It's okay, Swan, not everyone gets a chance to watch their parents fall in love." Killian told her in a comforting tone when a tear fell down her cheek. She gave him a shaky smile and leaned into him but her eyes didn't leave her parents for a second.

This trip hadn't been easy and she still longed to go back home. But this moment, to see the look in David's eyes when Snow tried on the ring, to hear the knowing trust in her voice when she said 'you'll find me', and to hear the promise when he replied 'always', made it all worth it.

"They're heading away from each other." Killian stated a little alarmed.

"No, it's okay. That's how it happened the first time." She told him and she sighed a little in relief as another tear of happiness escaped her eye. Things were just as they were meant to be. "It took my parents a while to accept their feelings."

"Must run in the family." He commented.

"I didn't wait as long as they did." She laughed quietly as she opened the storybook to see that the blank pages were now filled and the wedding picture was back.

"We did it." She said and a huge grin spread across her face.

"Aye, we did, love." He replied and she looked up to see that he had a smile as well.

"Come on, let's go get our new travel buddy and get back home." She eagerly stated and grabbed his hand to lead him back to where they'd left the unconscious woman.

CS

"We're almost there!" Emma shouted in excitement when the Dark One's castle came into view.

"Hold up, love." Killian said and placed a hand on her shoulder then stooped to place the woman he was carrying on the ground.

"What is it?"

"I know you're anxious to get back and I am as well. But I'm also not one to waste an opportunity." He stated with a mischievous glint in his eye that meant he was planning something.

"What are you up to, Killian?" She asked, very suspicious of what was going on.

"Well, with this little adventure we got to visit the place and watch your parents fall in love, even if they don't admit it for some time. Why don't you say we do the same, for auld lang syne?" He suggested and pointed with his hook in a direction that wasn't towards the castle. "There's a nice little village over that way. The Evil Queen doesn't bother them there and I think this lass will be out for quite some time. It's not the place where we fell in love, but what's the point in doing all this if we can't take a moment for ourselves?"

"I say you're a romantic idiot. We just fixed my parents and you want to risk messing something else up?" She stated and folded her arms across her chest.

"Come now, love, you love this 'romantic idiot' and you know it." He replied confidently with a smug grin. "Shall we?"

He raised his eyebrow as if to challenge her, knowing full well she couldn't refuse.

CS

"Well, it's not Lumière's but it'll do." Killian said as he entered the room he had gotten them at an inn next to a tavern, bearing a full bottle of rum and some cups to drink from.

"What is it, love?" He asked when she laughed as he set down a full bottle of rum on the table next to the bed where the unconscious woman slept.

"Nothing, just you would think I would have figured things out sooner." She replied but she could tell he was still confused so she explained. "You see there's a fairytale movie with a character named Lumière and he's an enchanted candlestick. Cogsworth is in it too.

"I knew this place was different the first time I was here with the magic, enchanted ship, and your tales of Neverland and Westley." She continued as she took the rum he offered. "And when Henry first came to me and told me about the curse, my time here came to mind. But spending most of my time in the middle of the ocean on the _Jolly_ is was easy to forget about all the oddities of this land. My thoughts were on experiencing new things and how I felt about you, not the similarities to classic fairytales."

"Aye, the sea will do that." He agreed with a wistful smile. "And you did for me as well. With you I didn't forget the pain of losing my brother. But I did begin to forget the hatred I had for the king. Your light was slowly snuffing out my darkness."

She blushed at the compliment. She didn't do anything out of the ordinary, just loved him and was there for him. But he acted like she was the actual swan the stars formed at night.

"Speaking of Cogsworth, I brought you here not because I fell in love with you in a tavern. In fact I'm not bloody sure when I did. But that day you met Milah and her mother, and we talked over diner, then later I spoke with Cogsworth. I just knew and that was the first time I spoke the words the aloud." He confessed and rubbed behind his ear and quickly looked down.

"You're right, I do love you, you romantic idiot." She smiled and leaned towards him for a kiss, and he met her halfway, just like the first time.

"I have a confession to make." She said as pulled away and took a drink.

"Most women usually do." He replied and took a drink of his own and she couldn't help but laugh a little. "Why do I feel like you're laughing at some inside joke I'm not in on?"

"Oh you're in on it. You just don't remember." She teased and watched as he caught on to the fact that it had something to do with 'Hook'.

"Bloody hell, that's twice now I've had the unfortunate experience of not knowing the time I've spent with you." He sighed and took a swig of rum straight from the bottle. "You know, I meant to tell you something long ago but the timing was never right. When I found you in New York and you didn't know who I was I…I can't begin to imagine how hard it was for you. All those days in the Enchanted Forest, after our talk in the hospital, and our journey in Neverland you spent thinking the man you knew was gone and we'd never have this again. I'm sorry, love."

"Sorry?" She asked, immediately puzzled. "Killian, you were cursed for loving me, that's not exactly a fault. If anyone should apologize, it's Gold. He did that to you, to me, not the other way around. Not that he ever will."

"Aye, I'm not sure even Belle could convince him to do such a thing." He nodded then paused to collect his thoughts before saying something else. "It would never make up for it but perhaps this will set things back on track."

"Back on track? We already did that, my parents are fine."

"I meant us, love." He told her. "I know you said in the past that you were content to stay here. But even if the previous Dark One hadn't taken you away, you were meant to be in your world not here. So now maybe we can fulfill our plans of returning to your world, together this time."

"Well, we make quite the team." She smirked at took a sip of her rum.

"You took the words right out of my mouth, love." He smirked as well then leaned in to kiss her. "But how about no locking me up or knocking me out this time? Think you can manage that?"

"Well, you took care of knocking yourself out." She teased. "And I took the lock up for you this time so I think you're safe. Now it's just, you jump I jump, remember?"

"If you mean through the portal, I don't need a reminder, love. Not a bloody thing will keep me away from your side this time." He promised her and squeezed both her hands in his and brushed back her hair with his hook.

She smiled to herself, thinking it would never get old when he didn't catch movie references. But instead of showing his confusion, he ran with it and turned it into something even sweeter, as only he could. She'd explain the quote one day, but for now, this was what mattered.

* * *

 **Just want to give a shout-out to** EmilyBea **and** revanmeetra87 **for reviewing last chapter. Thanks a million! And also to** CShipper **who asked a while back if Emma had ever seen the animated Beauty and the Beast. At the time I didn't have an answer but I decided to include a little something in this chapter. The second half was so much fun to do and I hope everyone enjoyed! And stayed tuned for next week, CS will be back in Storybrooke which means finding out what I've decided to do with the name of Emma's brother in Big Reveal. So feel free to make any guesses in your review, stay safe in the snow if you have it, and thanks for reading!**


	36. Big Reveal

Jump through a portal together they did, with no thanks to Gold however. Surprise, surprise. But they didn't need him. As usual she was the key to it all; she just had to believe again. And thanks to Killian she was able to and her magic returned.

It was a bit of a painful landing but they arrived back in Storybrooke in one piece thankfully. Killian righted himself then helped her up just as their companion started to stir. The woman would probably have one hell of a headache from the blow to the head as well as the swarm of questions she'd no doubt have. And she'd love to stick around, not, but she couldn't wait another minute to see her parents.

"Hey, do me a favor. Fill her in and make sure she doesn't freak out." She told him and was ready to leave when he grabbed her arm.

"Of course, love." He nodded. "I know how eager you are to see your parents and our boy. But before you go…"

He leaned in for a kiss. It was short and chaste, considering there was an audience and he knew she wanted to get going. But she was glad he had taken the time to make her 'stop and smell the roses' so to speak.

"This is how things should have been the first time you came back here." He whispered leaning his forehead against hers.

"Yeah, but now we can appreciate this all the more." She smiled then sent him a knowing look. "And I plan to appreciate this very much later on."

She gave him another quick peck then took off running towards Granny's.

CS

Emma entered the diner where the celebration was still going on. What had been days for her had only been a couple hours maybe for them. It only took a second for her to spot her parents and a couple more to cross the room and throw her arms around both of them. It was a little awkward with the baby and they were both a bit shocked but this time there was still love despite it. They knew who she was.

"You weren't answering your cell, we were worried." Her dad told her with concern. If he only knew that that should be the least of his concerns.

"I'm fine, I'm home." She told them both and those words had never felt so good.

Henry jumped out of the booth and came to give her a hug as well. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed him too until now. Not much time had passed here but she could have sworn he'd grown another inch.

"I missed you, kid." She told him and gave his shoulder an extra squeeze before she went back to her parents. "Mom, Dad, I missed you."

They probably didn't understand why she missed them so much or why she was so emotional. But that didn't stop them from holding her just the way she needed right now. All the hurt from the past few days of being with them but not being with them was pushed away with their arms holding her close.

"Emma, are you sure you're alright. You look like you haven't seen us for days." Her mom asked when they separated and they took seats at their booth.

"That's probably because I haven't, not really." She admitted and waited for Granny to finish passing out the cocoa before delving into the story. "Zelena's portal opened and Killian and I went through it. We ended up in the Enchanted Forest, right next to a tree with a wanted poster."

It wasn't long at all before Henry started reading along in his storybook as she continued. And sure enough there was a struggle in David's chamber instead of an armed carriage robbery. But some things could never be changed as her mom still managed to hit him and leave a scar.

Then Henry turned the page and she saw something she wasn't expecting. Before there was just a picture of David and Abagail looking bored and a few paragraphs about David's thoughts on the female bandit he was determined to find. But now 'Leia' and 'Charles' had front stage as they danced at the ball. Killian was smiling and she was laughing. To know that that moment was forever captured and part of not just the book but her parents' story was overwhelming.

"Wait, you're Princess Leia?" Her mom asked.

"Nice alias." Henry teased.

"I was in a pinch." She replied in self-defense but she was too happy to be back to take any real offense.

Of all the princesses at least she picked one that could handle herself and wasn't a damsel in distress. Not to mention Leia fell in love with a man that was a bit of a pirate in his own way.

"Well, there you go. You're officially one of us." Her dad stated and sent her a warm smile.

"A fairytale princess at last." Her mom added proudly.

"Yeah, and as my first 'princessy' request, I would like to know the name of the baby." She stated with a mock air of authority.

And like a true king her dad gathered everyone's attention.

"The arrival of our new son has been the cause of great joy for our family. And we hope you can share in it as we name him for a hero, well two heroes actually. They've helped save every one of us over the years. We all love them and they in return have loved us back and in a way opened their home to us with their hospitality. And one of them has always been a remarkable to Snow and me as well. And the other is like a grandmother to us all."

"People of Storybrooke," Her mother continued. "It is with great joy we introduce you to our son…Prince Lucas."

"To Granny and Red!" Her dad toasted as everyone in the diner clapped in congratulations.

"It is so nice to meet you, Lucas." Emma said with a smile as she reached across and let her brother grip her finger in his tiny little hand.

"That is such a cool name. Can we call him Luke for short?" Henry excitedly asked his grandparents and it was impossible to miss the mischievous hint in his smile.

"I don't see why not." Her dad shrugged as it dawned on her why Henry was so excited.

"Well, I do!" She emphatically stated. "You have got to be kidding me."

"What?" Her mom asked in concern.

"Hello, if we call him Luke when I'm Princess Leia…what's next Darth Vader starts terrorizing Storybrooke?" She pointed out in exasperation.

"I don't think you have to worry about that, Emma. That would make me Anakin Skywalker. And while I am very skilled with a sword and I would do anything to protect my family I wouldn't turn to the dark side to do it." David reassured her but she didn't appreciate his patronizing.

"Well, while you guys show off Prince Lucas, I'm going to go make sure Han Solo hasn't been frozen in carbonite." She stated sarcastically and headed outside to find Killian sitting with his flask at one of the outside tables.

"Hey, what are you doing out here?" She asked as she took the seat next to him, at the same table they'd sat at a few days ago with Henry after he got his memories back. Or was it a week ago now?

"Just enjoying the peace and quiet after dealing with a panicked and confused woman." He replied quietly and took a sip from his flask.

"Yeah, sorry about that." She said and gave him an apologetic smile.

"It's alright, love. How were things with your parents? They announced the name of the little royal I take it from all the cheers a few minutes ago."

"It felt good, being back here, but even better to see them again. And my little brother's name is Lucas, after Granny and Ruby for being there through all these years. Little do they know, Ruby also helped save their daughter." She told him. "I didn't get to go over the entire story with them, but we're in the book now. Rumpelstiltskin said that everything besides our little adventure would go back to normal. Do you think that it is?"

"He's right. Otherwise I'd remember that damn bar wench I kissed." He stated, still put out that once again he was forced to forget time spent together with her.

"How would that prove anything? It could have just been the curse."

"If it was the curse then why didn't I also forget you when you knocked me out at the lake? The curse aside, love, I would have at least recognized you when you found me after Cora's attack. Or when you kissed me because I know how you kiss and I would have gone after you in the past. But I didn't. My life went on exactly the same as before."

"Yeah, must have been the rum." She nodded sympathetically.

Before she and Henry left Storybrooke last year, the thought of forgetting her parents and Killian hurt. But she never really forgot Killian just their more recent time together. And the past was buried in the back of her mind until he showed up, bringing it all to the surface. But he had truly forgotten for centuries. And even though he remembered their past, he'd probably never remember what took place with the 'bar wench'.

"You know, earlier at the inn in the Enchanted Forest, I told you I had a confession to make. But then we got sidetracked. With Hook, I wanted to know how he got the hook as a way of flirting. But now I want to know, what really made you leave the _Jolly Roger_ behind? I know you said curses work differently than magic beans but you wouldn't have just abandoned her and left her to chance. And you've skated around the question every time I've asked before."

"Well, the curse was coming. I ditched my crew and took the _Jolly Roge_ r as fast and as far as I possible could to outrun it." He replied and she didn't detect a lie.

"I know you're a hell of a captain but there's more to it than that. How did you get to me in New York?" She asked, knowing he was still trying to avoid the real answer she wanted.

"Once I was outside the curse's purview, I knew that the walls were down. Transport between the worlds was possible again; all I needed was a magic bean."

"Those are not easy to come by." She stated, knowing from personal experience. If they never found one the first time, and it took stealing from a giant the second, how in the realms had he done it now?

"They are if you've got something of value to trade." He told her and looked down at his hand, avoiding her eyes.

"And what was that?" She asked with a smirk, humoring him and waiting for him to get to the point.

"Why the _Jolly Roger_ of course." He stated with a bittersweet smile, looking her dead in the eyes.

"You gave up your ship for me?" She whispered.

Twenty-twenty hindsight it made sense and she felt stupid for not putting the pieces together sooner. Of course he would do something like that for her. She'd lost track of how many times he'd told her that the _Jolly_ was no longer his home and that she was.

"Aye," He replied with a single nod.

That simple gesture of confirmation filled her with an overwhelming amount of emotions. She wished that he didn't have to give up something he held so close to get to her. But she knew he'd do it a hundred times over and it was that realization that filled her heart with even more love for him. And just as natural as that decision must have been for him, she leaned closer until her lips reached his, kissing him and letting him feel every ounce of love she had for him.

CS

"Emma! What are you doing here?" David asked, a bit startled, when he opened the loft door the next morning. "I mean it's good to see you. Did we have something planned that I forgot?"

"No, Dad, nothing planned." She shook her head and tried not to laugh. "Just thought I'd bring breakfast over for you guys. I also want to talk to Mom. She up?"

"Yeah, she's getting your brother dressed." He replied after covering up a big yawn.

"He keeping you guys up late?" She asked even though the answer was very clear.

"Late nights, even earlier mornings, you name it."

"And he's not even the one breastfeeding him in the middle of the night." Her mom stated as she entered the kitchen. "Morning, Emma. Where are Henry and Hook?"

"I bought a cell phone after we defeated Zelena, and being as Storybrooke technically shouldn't exist, it didn't arrive until now. So they went to pick it up as a way of father-son bonding." She answered and grabbed a bear claw out of the bag she brought from Granny's.

"That should be nice for the two of them." Her mom nodded and passed Lucas off to his daddy.

"Yeah, and I was thinking Dad and Lucas can have a little bonding time too while you and I go out together. Zelena's been taken care of and who knows how long we'll get to enjoy the quiet time." She suggested to her.

"Oh, I loved to, but…"

"No buts, Mary Margaret, it's a great idea and you're going. Luke and I will be fine for a couple hours. You and Emma go do…whatever it is girls like to do. I've got it covered." David told her.

"See, he's got _Lucas_ covered. And I promise we'll stick to Main Street, Dad will keep his phone nearby, and we'll be back by noon I promise."

"Okay, you're right and I've got to do this some time I guess. Just let me grab my coat." Her mom sighed and gave in.

CS

"I forgot to tell David that I used up all the wipes this morning and he needs to get a new pack!" Mary Margaret stated in a panic as soon as they got across the street from the loft.

"Mom, I think he can figure that out." Emma reassured her and couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Right, sorry, this is supposed to be about us." She apologized and shook her head. "So, what do you want to do? To talk about?"

"I thought this would be a good time to fill you in on the past I had with Killian. You know, girl talk, like we did when you were just Mary Margaret my roommate. I know we've been meaning to, but after what happened in the past, I don't want to put it off any longer."

"What hap…that's right, that was you. Oh I am so sorry." She said and gave her a crushing hug. "You shouldn't have had to see that. And when Blue changed me back I…oh, Emma."

"It…it's okay, I knew you didn't know. If anything it just made me more determined to get back, so we could do this." She told her and took a deep breath then gave her a smile.

"I love you, Emma." She stated and gave her one last squeeze then pulled away. "So, you went through a portal, met Killian, fell in love, got engaged, got married, came back to our world, you had Henry, and you two are true love. Now, give me the details, like I did when I had feelings for your father during the curse and went out with Whale."

"Okay…I'd still rather not think about that last one." Emma cringed; glad they weren't still hugging when she said that. "Anyway, I remember the first time I got sick on the _Jolly Roger_. Killian was worried I'd gotten pneumonia but it was just a really bad cold. He moved me from my quarters to his and forced me to stay in bed for a week. At first I felt like crap so I really appreciated it but after two days I was ready to slap him. Actually I did."

"Sounds like your father during the first few months of both pregnancies. He insisted I eat toast in bed every morning before I did anything else to prevent me from getting sick. Well, I didn't get sick as in throwing up, but I did get sick of eating plain toast constantly. So, one day I threw it at him and yelled at him for feeding me like a prisoner." Her mom told her, and they both started laughing. "He learned his lesson after that. And with Lucas he was still overly cautious, but he didn't force feed me the toast."

"Ugh, I can't imagine what Killian would have been like if he was around." She shook her head. "Actually I do know. He'd drive me crazy. But somehow I still wish we'd had that experience, you know."

"Yeah, I know. All those years I felt I missed out with you, I always thought about your first steps and first word. I didn't think about things like squirming during diaper changes and the restless nights. But it's worth it." Her mom nodded and Emma could see the bags under her eyes and was about to offer to babysit when…

"We're under attack!" Someone, who could only be good ol' Leroy, yelled.

* * *

 **There you have it folks, the newest addition to the Charming family has a name! I got the idea while writing Charles and Leia at the ball which made me wanna watch Star Wars and I just couldn't pass it up because I'm mlre of a geek than I realize. No offense intended to anyone who likes Neal though. And I hope you liked the ending. I intended it to be more CS fluff but that scene is already perfect so why fix what ain't broke? And I've been meaning to do some mother-daughter stuff for a while. Next Monday's chapter is called Learning and involves a cell phone, a bet, a girl who doesn't get bothered by the cold, and some overdue father-son time with Killian and Henry. So please review I really appreciate each and every one, thanks so much you guys!**


	37. Learning

"Evil Snowman! Run!" Leroy yelled, setting the entire town into a panic, just what they needed.

But luckily instead of charging at them, Frosty headed towards the forest, apparently scared by the noise. David, who had joined the crowd of spectators, gave Lucas to Mary Margaret and joined Emma and Killian in following the thing.

A snow monster taller than most buildings moved a lot faster than a couple of six foot humans. So in the time it took to catch up they came up with some theories. The monster was scared by noise and didn't go after her until her gun accidently went off. Maybe it was meant as a defensive mechanism instead of an offensive one. If they didn't attack maybe it could lead them to whoever created it because something told her this wasn't another villain just someone very scared. After all magic was connected to emotions and instead of a special blanket to make them feel safe they created a snow monster.

But when they found the Merry Men and warned them about Frosty they didn't have time to explain their theory before Little John fired an arrow at it. And apparently her magic wasn't able to defeat it and her poor attempt only scared it more. A fist of snow swung at her and that was the last thing she saw.

Minutes later she came to and found that Regina had been the one to destroy the snow monster. It was a bit of a surprise considering Regina hadn't spoken to anyone, especially her, since it was discovered who they brought back from the past. Thanks to her, Robin Hood was no longer a widower thus ruining his budding new romance with Regina.

Killian was right; Maid Marian belonged in the past. But while she felt a bit guilty and sorry for Regina, Emma still felt she had done something good for Roland. She knew what it was like to grow up without a mom and even though he had Robin, the Merry Men, and Regina, Marian deserved to raise her little boy as well.

So it was wandering through the woods, making a snowball, contemplating the situation with Regina, and hoping she wouldn't become the Evil Queen again that Killian found her.

"So, crisis averted." He said with a warm smile, proud of her magic even though it just made the snowman sprout spikes of ice.

"Wanna go home and see what's on Netflix?" She asked just to see what he'd say.

"I don't know what that is but sure." He replied eagerly.

"That anxious to get out of cell phone 101 with Henry?" She teased.

"I always enjoy spending time with our lad, Swan. But these…devices are bloody ridiculous. Who needs to goggle something when you could simply look at a map or go to the library? And what's the point of watching videos when there's the box we watched that bloody movie about Pan on?" He expressed his frustrations.

"First off, it's Google not goggle. And I know it's confusing for you. That's why I got a really basic phone that just makes calls, sends texts, and has a camera." She told him and was wondering how he ended up with a smartphone.

"Aye, but apparently Henry saw it and thought it was worthless and asked to have it exchanged for a different one." He told her and she just shook her head, not surprised one bit.

"I'll talk to Henry about going more basic." She assured him. "Where is he now?"

"I left him with his uncle's namesake. He wanted to come and see what was going on but Ruby bribed him with cocoa."

"Yeah what boy wouldn't love to chase after the abominable snowman?" She asked rhetorically. "Speaking of which, someone created that snowman. This isn't over."

"It never is. All the more reason to enjoy the quiet moments. And right now…we have a quiet moment." He said leaning in closer to her, almost close enough for a kiss.

"I know." She sighed, hating to pull away. "I just gotta do something first."

"Love, you can talk to Henry tonight about the talking phone. And if you're worried about Regina, as I said last night, no good ever came of pushing that woman. I know you feel guilty but you have no reason to, love. If she's meant to be with Robin, it will work out somehow just as it did for us. Maybe Marian is Robin's Milah, the woman you love but not your true love."

"I hope so." She replied but didn't exactly believe it. "You should get back to Henry. Even if it's not figuring out the phone, you should take advantage of the quiet moment. With Regina unavailable I'm gonna go talk to Belle, see if any of her books mention snow magic."

"Swan, there's more to this than just Regina, isn't there? What are you thinking?" He questioned her.

"Be patient." She whispered after giving him a quick kiss then headed away from him and towards town.

CS

"I have all the time in the world…unless another monster appears and kills me." Killian mumbled as he watched Emma walk away.

Even if she wouldn't talk to him about what was on her mind, he'd much rather spend this quiet moment with her. But he'd be patient if that's what she needed and decided to check back on Henry. In the midst of teaching him the ins and outs of the talking phone he'd try to call Regina several times but she never answered. Killian couldn't exactly say he felt sorry for the former Evil Queen but he did hope that for the lad's sake she didn't do anything they'd all regret.

"Henry, lad, why don't you say we put away the modern monstrosities for a bit and experience some old fashioned fun." Killian suggested.

"How old fashioned are we talking here?" Henry asked hesitantly.

"Well, I'll admit I used to play it with my brother when we were young. But it's in the front window of one of the shops so it can't be that dull. Can it?"

"I guess not." He shrugged and put the phone away thankfully. "But can we get cocoa to go?"

"Aye, lad," He nodded then went over to Granny for the cocoa with cinnamon.

CS

"Marbles? You bought a bag of marbles? What are we supposed to do with those at a park? Unless you have a track it's like the most useless toy. " Henry asked him when Killian revealed what he had purchased. He hadn't allowed the lad in the store and just let him look in the window for what it could be.

"They're more than toys lad. Marbles is like a game of chess, there's strategy behind it. It also needs hand-eye-coordination, something you also need for wielding a sword. It includes a bit of gambling as well, making it perfect for pirates. And lastly, if you need a last resort escape you can spread them on the floor and whoever you want to get away from will fall straight on their ars…flat on their back." Killian informed him.

"How can they be all that?" Henry asked skeptically.

"Well, lad, just watch and find out." He smirked and poured out the contents of the drawstring bag onto the circle of dirt.

"Wait, so that's what this is for? I used to come here a lot when I was younger and wondered what you were supposed to do here. A few kids used to played with Beyblades but it didn't really work, too big of a space and no sides to bounce off of." He said, finally becoming interested.

"It's always been a popular game in the Enchanted Forest. Your mother and grandparents are probably better at it than I am since I haven't played in about a hundred years. So it makes sense that it's here since Storybrooke was designed with little hints of the Enchanted Forest. If everyone in this land weren't so busy with their talking phones, I bet this would get a lot more use, maybe even an annual tournament."

"Okay, for the last time, it's just called a phone." Henry stated and rolled his eyes, just like Emma. "So if I grew up on the Enchanted Forest I would probably already know the ins and outs of this game?"

"Aye, most likely." He nodded. "You ready to learn?"

"I guess so." Henry shrugged as if he didn't really care but Killian could tell his curiosity had won out.

"So this is kind of like pool." Henry commented once Killian had explained the rules and he took his first turn. "But where's the gambling you mentioned?"

"Well, usually people play for keeps, the marbles you knock out of the ring you keep. But since this is your first time…"

"What? Are you that positive you'll win?" He stated defensively. "I say we forget keeping marbles. Let's say I win and you have to listen to everything I tell you about the cell phone and not just say 'aye' now and then. But if you win, I can arrange a family movie night that includes my grandparents and the movie I told you about that makes Prince Charming look pathetic."

"You'll be a full-fledged pirate yet one of these days, lad." Killian nodded and rearranged things to start over. "I'm all in."

CS

"And you're saying, what? This wall goes around the whole town?" Emma asked Killian the following night. Once again the new villain in town, who they had yet to formally meet, was putting their ice magic to use.

"That it does." He nodded.

"So, once again we can't leave Storybrooke." David commented, staring at the wall of ice as high as the eye could see.

"Doing more than keeping us inside by the looks of that." Killian observed and motioned to the large pole with wires that was lying on the ground. "Guess that's what caused the loss of power?"

"Look at you becoming a twenty-first century man." Emma stated teasing but he could see a slight hint of approval in her smile.

"Aye, thank your son." He told her begrudgingly, still a bit put out by the results of yesterday's game.

"My son? How am I the one to blame for this? You're the one that should stop betting against him." She replied, clearly amused.

"First off, we tied, love. And second, I made a deal to learn about phones not every modern, technical, _in_ convenience." He argued.

"You'll be thankful for it one day. It'll make for some great memories at least." She told him trying to get him to look on the bright side. And someday he probably would. But today was not that day. "Now, it looks to me like whoever put up the wall wasn't trying to take out the lights. They were just putting up the wall."

"To keep us in." Dave stated. "Why?"

"Kill us all one by one." Killian couldn't help but reply. He was still a pirate after all. "It's what I'd do."

Apparently the prince didn't much appreciate the statement and thankfully left to answer a…radio call…from the police car. That left him and Emma alone for a moment.

"I should have brought the champagne."

"What?" Emma asked by the randomness of his statement.

"To celebrate our second date." He told her then sized up the wall. "And because we've got the world's largest ice bucket."

"Second date? Did I miss the first?" She questioned him, still puzzled but he could tell she knew he was up to something.

"Aye, snow monster's the first, ice wall's the second. After all if I only counted quiet dinners or short sailing adventures, we wouldn't even get one. As proven by the showdown with the witch and life here in general." He answered with hints of sarcasm.

He wanted those two things with Emma more than anything. But after all the worry for her and her parents' future back in the past, he realized he would take whatever he could get. So if that meant chasing down villains was the only way to ensure they spent time together, then so be it. Life on the sea had taught him that a storm can arise in an instant and sometimes the only way to make it through was to just drop anchor until it was past.

"I know. But as bizarre as it is, this is reality not a year on a ship with just the two of us, free to follow our hearts desires." She sighed but it wasn't exactly unhappy. Then she leaned in to kiss him but stopped halfway. "I think I see something behind the wall. You wait here with the ice bucket while I check that out."

Killian's first alert that something bad would happen was that Emma didn't follow through with her intended kiss. He once told her a man can't lose with a token from the woman he loves. The second, that he'd been fool enough to let her go alone. And third, Dave was having a conversation with him without some sort of threat.

"I guess it's time you and I have a little talk about your intentions with my daughter." David stated and placed his hand on his holster, ready to draw his gun.

"That's old-fashioned even by my standards and I still pay with doubloons." Killian stated back. "Besides as you now know, I married her some time ago. And if your marriage to Snow is still valid then so is ours, mate."

"I'm not questioning, Hook. And honestly I know that despite being a pirate, that you do have good intentions with Emma and Henry. I do remember a certain late night conversation with a Prince Charles. I just couldn't resist the role of over-protective dad." He told him and admitted to the teasing. Well two could play that game.

"Aye, I seem to recall someone saying that the parents of the woman I loved would be crazy not to approve of me." The pirate in him couldn't help but state in a smug tone. "Wonder who that could've been?"

"I'll admit I've had my doubts. Even after you two revealed you were true love and what you had been through to find that out. But thinking back, when my opinion wasn't clouded by the fact that you were a pirate and in love with my daughter, I knew that what you had for your princess was something special that most people don't have, let alone believe in. I know I didn't. But you of all people, you gave me…"

"Hope?" Killian filled in what David, even with the great strides he had made, wasn't quite ready to reveal. He gave him a raised brow and a cocky smirk and waited for a reply.

But instead their attention was drawn back to the ice wall. Emma was talking to someone and the wind was picking up a bit. They went to check things out but apparently they got too close and more ice began to form, knocking him and David to the ground and trapping Emma behind a layer of impenetrable ice.

CS

Countless nights Killian had spent with Emma asleep beside him. And on many of those occasions he found a way to tease her about how cold her toes could be, even in the summer. He also loved those windier days up on deck when she'd get a chill and place herself between him and the helm with her face against his chest to shield from the cold. And the time they docked for supplies at a port that had just had a major snowstorm. It was a short walk to the nearest tavern but Emma was still quite annoyed and gave empty threats through her chattering teeth.

Those had all been good and fun memories until now. Now, Emma might freeze to death and according the woman, Elsa, that caused all this, she was passed out from the prolonged exposure. But as much as the thought pained him, he was grateful to know how Emma was doing. And even though a…walkie-talkie…wasn't exactly a talking phone he now realized the importance of such things and he'd make sure to thank Henry for the lessons he had begrudgingly endured earlier.

In fact, after a visit to the Dark One that he deemed useless and a call to Bo Peep, who was nothing like the nursery rhyme he'd heard Snow read to Lucas, he thought the talking device more useful than the two of them put together. Especially when Dave was able to talk to Elsa and told her something he'd apparently heard from her sister. Killian didn't know Elsa or her sister but he knew those words, 'survival isn't enough, you have to live' were tried and true. So did Elsa and thank the seven seas it sparked something in her and she was able to create a whole in the ice.

It was small; just big enough for Emma, with help from all three of them, to crawl out of. Even though she was cold and stiff, she was thankfully still alive. And holding her in his arms filled him with a sense of relief like never before.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he placed his hand at the base of her neck to bring her even closer.

She gave a jerky nod and he knew it was far from the truth, as proven when her legs gave out from under her a few moments later, but knowing that she _would be_ alright gave him comfort.

* * *

 **Thanks for the reviews everyone on last chapter! Glad to know the name Lucas went over well. And don't worry there's no trouble in paradise for Emma and Killian. I just keep the "be patient" line in because a) I love Killian's response b) I really wanted to have a father/son afternoon. So Emma's not avoiding him and there will be fluff for you next chapter. I'm calling it Acceptance and it's a nice little breather before the Snow Queen is discovered. So please review, I really appreciate them! And since the bet was a tie there will be another movie night, can't say when but hopefully soon so keep reading :)**


	38. Accceptance

"Killian! How is she?" Mary Margaret asked when he entered the kitchen and handed her Emma's empty mug of cocoa. "Does she want more cocoa?"

"No thanks, love. She's pretty much dozed off now." Killian replied. "And she's still cold but greatly improved since we first got to her."

"Yeah, you really did the trick with that space heater and later the electric blanket. I forgot we owned that."

"And both those things were thanks to you restoring the power. Good work, Madame Mayor." He commended her, not caring about the spotlight for himself. Then he turned to Henry who was helping with some dishes. "And thank you, Henry, for showing me how to use anything and everything having to do with electricity."

"Well, I knew there was a reason you should know about more than just phones. But I never thought it'd be to save Mom's life." Henry shrugged then glanced upstairs to where Emma was resting. "But like I said I'm not going any lower than one mom and if teaching an old pirate new things is what it takes then that's what I'll do."

"First off, I'm your father, lad, bad form calling me old. And second, it was Elsa that saved your mom. I just helped speed up her recovery." Killian teased him then once again tried to step out of the spotlight. "You know, I'll admit to you, Henry, earlier I thought learning some of these things, was a waste of time. I've lived over two hundred years without them so therefore I didn't need it. But if we were in the Enchanted Forest, your mom wouldn't be comfortably sleeping right now. She'd probably be suffering from hypothermia never to wake up again."

"I'm with both of you." Mary Margaret spoke up. "I never thought fixing the power would be of help to Emma like this. And you know…I yelled at Grumpy, Granny, and Happy to leave me alone and buy a flashlight because they'd survived their whole life without this stuff. I was just frustrated but right now if Emma had to survive without it…I know that she would because that's who she is. But turning on a space heater is a lot faster than building up a fire."

"She offered to let me come with her when she left to go check out the power outage. I was too busy worried about my other mom, I didn't think anything would happen to her. But maybe if I did I could've helped get her out sooner." Henry confessed.

"There was nothing any of us could have done, Henry. And aye, you and Regina are both going through a hard time but you don't need to feel guilty over anything. Regina will come around. I can't believe I'm about to say this but, she's a lot like me, maybe she just needs a reminder that she doesn't have to shut you out while dealing with this. And Emma understands that she's not your only mother and that you care about her just as much as Regina." Killian assured him knowing that Emma would do so herself if she weren't sleeping.

"I think it's safe to say we all thought some things recently that we didn't really mean." Mary Margaret stated wisely. "For better or worse, our life is in Storybrooke and we need to embrace it whether that's learning new things, being both a new mayor and new mother, or weathering some family storms. But most importantly we're free to be a family here as crazy as it is. Do you think a royal family with people to rule and countries to ally with would be allowed to have a pirate in-law and a grandson that was raised by the former Evil Queen? We're not normal by any means but in Storybrooke we're just people that are trying to do the right thing. And we do it together."

"Well said," David spoke up as he and Elsa walked through the door. "I bought some cold medicine for Emma just in case and stopped to talk to Whale and get his opinion. He said she should be back to normal in the morning. And I also bought more cocoa and some chicken soup to be on the safe side."

"I'm sure she'll appreciate that and thanks for running out to the store for me." Mary Margaret thanked him and the two embraced. "She's asleep now and I'm thinking of doing the same. Elsa, I'm sorry we don't have another spare bed but the couch folds out and should be comfortable enough."

"Thank you, your majesty; I'm sure it will be. But I don't deserve your hospitality after everything that's happened I can't…" Elsa began clearly not used to such things. She didn't quite have the same look of abandonment that Emma had at one time and there was obviously a sister she spoke of. But Killian sensed that like the rest of them, Elsa didn't have the easiest of pasts.

"Nonsense." Mary Margaret waved her off. "Emma is going to be fine and I think she knows as well as anyone how hard it can be to have magic. This family finds people and that means we also help them. So let's everybody get some sleep, and start fresh tomorrow on finding Anna."

And with that they all prepared for bed and Killian said goodnight to Henry as he passed the smaller bed in the corner then slipped in between the sheets of the larger one where Emma peacefully slept. She was still a little cold but she was no longer shivering and he hoped his body heat and several more hours of sleep would do the trick.

CS

(Emma POV)

The last thing Emma remembered before falling asleep was Killian holding her in his arms and drinking the last few sips of cocoa. Both were in attempt to warm her up, and she felt considerably better than she first did when Elsa was able to free her from the ice wall. But there was still a chill in her bones that she couldn't shake.

But now as she squinted from the early morning light she left like Frosty must have when he melted in the poinsettia greenhouse instead of Karen in the ice car of the train. When her eyes adjusted, she realized why. Killian was asleep with his arm around her. And in addition to her regular comforter there were two quilts and a flannel blanket that would make anyone sweat just by itself.

"Bloody hell," Killian mumbled when she accidently kicked him in an attempt to get out from under the blankets.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to kick you. I just got tangled up and it's way too earlier to be coordinated." She rambled, still trying to wake up. "How are you not roasting like a marshmallow?"

"Being suddenly woken is the least of my concerns, love. I'm just glad you're alright." He told her as he leaned over and placed a kiss atop her head. "As for the blanket situation, I knew I'd never be able to sleep under all of them but you still needed them last night so I adjusted the extra ones just to your side."

Now she was a little more awake and realized half the blankets were draped over onto the floor on her side. Usually she was more observant but extreme cold induced sleep apparently really messed with your brain. She really needed some cocoa with extra cinnamon.

"You worry too much. We wouldn't want any gray hairs to appear." She teased him as she swung her legs over the bed then stretched.

"There will never be a day I don't worry about you in some way, Swan." He stated then started rubbing that spot between her shoulders. "As for the gray hairs, I would count it an honor to grow old with you, love. And I have heard that woman can be attracted to a hint or two of gray. What's the term in this world…silver fox I believe?"

"I'd comment on that but you're ego doesn't need to be any more built up than it already is." She quipped as she forced herself to get up. "But hey, hopefully it doesn't happen for a few more years, but I want to grow old with you too."

"Aye, love, when we have a place of our own by the sea and Henry's out of the house and we've had a little adventure that doesn't include fighting some villain or righting a wrong." He said wistfully before giving her a kiss. "Not that I don't enjoy those things but as I said last night, it would be nice to have one normal date, like we used to."

"Yeah, that would be nice." She sighed as she grabbed some clothes from her dresser. "But first I need to help Elsa. Last night was an accident because she was scared and I get that because I know how it feels and I really want to help her. And there's also what I did to Regina. I don't know how to fix that but I want to help."

"Well, I think our lad has Regina well in hand. And I know you want to help Elsa, you want to help everybody and I love you for it. But that doesn't mean you can't take a little time off. As you said, it was an accident. For once Storybrooke doesn't have a villain terrorizing the place."

Before Emma could reply to his comment though, her parents decided they'd had enough of their daughter alone in a bedroom with a boy.

"Emma, I know you're awake and if you and Hook are even thinking of getting up to anything in this house…I don't care if you're married or over thirty, I'll…" David began.

"What he means is we're really worried after last night and we want to make sure you're alright and don't overdo anything. And Whale said to check for any signs of…"

"I'm fine, Mom, I'll be downstairs in just a minute!" She called down to them and gave a sigh of exasperation.

"I'll go get a head start on some cocoa for you, love, so your father doesn't come barging up here." Killian told her then quickly inserted his hook in place then went down.

"Believe me now?" Emma asked when she finally made it down for breakfast. "I'm a hundred and ten percent. You can even take my temperature if you want. But I'd rather have a hot chocolate with cinnamon that I was promised."

"I second that." Henry spoke up as he set his school bag down then sat beside her. "I'm really glad you're okay, Mom."

"Of course I am, kid. You're not gonna be losing any of us if I have any say in it." She assured him and gave him a hug, always thankful that he wasn't too old for one yet.

"I know, and speaking of that. Can I stop and see Mom before school?"

"Sure, just don't be late." She agreed, not able to turn him down.

"Here, take breakfast to-go." Her mom said handing him a sandwich bag with two muffins and a travel mug of cocoa.

"Thanks, Grandmom, see you all after school!" He said, waved, and then was out the door.

"If watching Henry go off to school by himself is a little bittersweet, what's it gonna be like when Lucas is old enough?" She asked with a hint of fear.

"Don't even go there, Snow, just don't." Her dad stated, not wanting to think of it either.

"I'm gonna go check on him." She then excused herself and Emma tried not to laugh. Her parents had it bad.

"So, love, here is your cocoa as promised." Killian said, ignoring the look from her dad, and sat in Henry's vacated seat and placed his arm around her. "Think we would've been that bad with Henry?"

"Probably." She replied and this time she did laugh. "Hey, he'll probably want to be with Regina after school. And hopefully it won't take too long to help Elsa. Where is she by the way?"

"Enjoying the wonders of the modern world I believe." He told her and nodded towards the bathroom.

"Yeah, showers and hot water heaters were something I greatly missed in the Enchanted Forest." She nodded in complete understanding. "But anyway, maybe we can…"

"Good morning!" Elsa cheerfully greeted them as she stepped out of the bathroom fully dressed for the day. "Emma, how are you feeling?"

"Don't worry about me, Elsa, I'm fine." She said and gave her a reassuring smile. "Actually I was thinking maybe I could help you take down that wall. And then look for your sister. It would give us a chance to talk while I'm not freezing and I think it'd be good for both of us."

"Um, yes, I'd like that. Uh, thank you." Elsa replied a little startled but excited.

"No problem, we'll head out once we've finished breakfast." Emma said and passed her the plate of muffins.

CS

"So, how does a princess end up with a pirate as her true love?" Elsa asked to 'break the ice' and the conversation started, pun intended, once they had been driving a few minutes.

"Well, my mom fell in love with a former shepherd so I guess it just runs in the family to marry outside the normal for royalty. But I am not your typical princess either. I didn't have my first real princess experience until very recently. It was great but I very much prefer being the town sheriff." Emma replied and made a point about not wanting to be called a princess.

"I understand." Elsa nodded. "My sister fell in love with a prince just hours after meeting him. It turned into a disaster! But in the process I became more confident in my powers, all thanks to her. And she found a man, an ice harvester named Kristoff, that truly loves her. They both have their quirks but somehow they balance each other out."

"Yeah, I know princess and pirate are contrasting titles but we understand and accept each other for who we are. When I need comfort, he knows just what I need. When he needs to be reminded that he's a hero, I'm the only one he'll believe. It takes a lot of convincing sometimes but we get each other through."

"So he accepts not only that you're a princess, when pirates are known for hating royalty. But he also accepts your magic?" Elsa asked with wonder.

Emma realized then why she felt a connection to Elsa. Growing up she never felt accepted in any of the homes that temporarily took her in. She didn't believe that anyone could ever care about her as Killian, Henry, and her parents did. And while Elsa had a family growing up, she clearly couldn't believe that someone other than her sister could accept and see past her magic, especially when it can to romance.

"Well, when we first met I had no idea I had magic. Then we were separated for about a decade. And when we found each other again I was just beginning to learn. And I don't know." She paused and shrugged. "We've never really talked about it a whole lot, he sees that it's a part of me and supports me, even when I'm having trouble with it. Same with my parents. My magic comes from being the product of their true love after all. Don't worry, we'll find your sister and someday you'll find someone like Killian or Kristoff that love you with or without magic."

"Can you imagine what I'd do if I ever met someone?" Elsa asked her and then began to laugh. "I set off an eternal winter in Arendelle when my powers were exposed to the kingdom, I conjured up Marshmallow when you and your pirate followed too close, and I created an ice wall just out of sheer panic and trapped you in it. I'd probably be so nervous I'd freeze myself!"

"If you can survive last night I don't think you have to worry about that." Emma said and laughed as well as they got out of the bug. "Speaking of last night, I didn't really get to take all it all in. You did this? You might not totally control it but this is amazing. And unique, and you said you're the only one that has this power."

"That's probably a good thing for everyone." Elsa sighed.

"And you. I mean this is kind of…cool" Emma told her, unable to think of a better way to describe it. "Pun intended."

"Well regardless, there's no need for a barrier anymore. Let me take it down." Elsa replied and Emma took a step back to give her space.

But nothing happened. Her magic had reached the wall but unlike last night, it didn't open up or anything. They had a problem that neither of them had the answer to. She knew who would though; despite how much she really didn't want to go there. But she doubted Regina would help right now even if Henry had gotten through to her. So she called Killian to let him know they were headed to Gold's and he insisted on meeting them there. She gave him a bit of a hard time for it but knowing that he couldn't see her smile over the phone, she allowed herself to secretly be glad for his over protective insistence.

* * *

 **So this was a reflective chapter for you, I wanted to show Killian and Henry having a good talk and somehow Mary Margaret ended up in there. And even if I've heard "Let it Go" too many times (no offense) I've always liked the Emma/Elsa friendship amd wanted to brimg more of that. Next chapter is called Examples and brings a bit more action when the Snow Queen is found and some babysitting. So keep reading to see Captain Hook feed a baby next week! That being said though, thank you for reading this and a special thanks to those that review. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it :)**


	39. Examples

When you want something in life, you learn about it. As a lad Killian dreamed of being in the navy and he loved the stars so he learned all he could from his brother and at one time his father. When Liam died he quickly learned how to survive and get by as a pirate. Then Emma came along and he took every opportunity to learn what she liked. Her favorite flower, color, dessert, and places to go, just absolutely everything.

So when Milah died and he vowed to avenge her, the Dark One became his new study. And the second he saw the dagger in Belle's hand when she commanded her husband to tell them what he knew about Elsa's sister, Killian knew it was a fake. He'd given up his two hundred year old quest for revenge and no longer wanted the dagger to kill his arch-enemy, but that didn't mean he couldn't still use it to his advantage.

Emma wanted him to look after Elsa, and he had nothing against her, but he and Emma were a team. And with this new villain framing Elsa he wanted to be with Emma to make sure they didn't have repeat of last night. But stubborn as always, she was adamant that he take Elsa to the sheriff's station. Lucky for him however she left in a huff before he could confirm that he would and Elsa insisted that she find this person with powers like hers.

And thanks to a negotiation with the Dark One, threatening to tell Belle the truth about the dagger, they were able to track the town's newest villain.

"What are you doing?" Elsa asked him when he marked a tree with his hook.

"Leaving a trail. I'm more accustomed to outrunning bad weather than following it."

"Snow isn't bad." She stated and he was tempted to argue. Snow meant you couldn't sail and the seven seas help you if you were. "And we're following magic."

"Try to outrun that too, given the chance." He replied thinking of out-sailing the second curse to get back to Emma and Henry as promised and the urge to leave Neverland as quickly as possible. Of course it could be used for good as Emma did and now Regina. But he was glad he didn't have to deal with it himself and preferred doing things the old-fashioned way.

"What's so funny?" He asked when she poorly attempted to cover up a laugh.

"It's just that Emma has magic and you clearly don't want to outrun her." She told him and he had a feeling they'd had a woman-to-woman conversation earlier and he was most likely the subject.

"More like the other way around with the way things keep popping up in this town. As sheriff and the product of true love, saving everyone is always priority, even before her own needs and wants." He sighed, wishing for one, just one day of peace, especially after the scare of last night.

"Maybe she feels the same way about pirates as you do about magic." She stated but he saw a hint of amusement in her eyes.

"I've worked to change though in fairness, being a pirate isn't necessarily a bad thing. Particularly a charming one like me-self." He replied with a bit of exaggeration. "And pirate doesn't have to be synonymous with villain. Also I know for a fact that while her father has a bit of an issue with it from time to time, Emma has never once cared that she fell in love with a dashing rapscallion."

"Your level of self-appreciation is ridiculous." Elsa told him and this time didn't bother trying to cover up a laugh. "But if Emma can put up with it I guess you don't have to worry."

"Thanks, love," He stated sarcastically but it came out more as teasing than annoyance.

"And don't worry about Emma having to put everyone else first. Ruling a kingdom, I know how that feels. My sister always makes these grand plans of activities for us to do together. I try, I really do, but usually we're lucky to get a quarter of the things done on her list of ideas. But it's not about how much time; it's what you do in that time."

"Is that right? A few short hours with the Charmings, who are the epitome of true love, and you're ready to give advice in the area?" He couldn't help but question her, having to return the favor after the 'self-appreciation' jab. But he knew there was truth to what she was saying.

"No, but Emma and I are a lot alike. It can be hard to put everything aside and take a break. But once you do, an hour or two can do wonders for relationships, familial or romantic." She stated and gave him half-playful, half-annoyed glare. If she had rolled her eyes he would have said she and Emma were sisters.

"Do me a favor, love. Have a repeat of this conversation with Emma?" He suggested knowing it might help coming from a different person. "As you've said, I'm a pirate, therefore I have no problem being a little selfish and taking some time for us. Emma on the other had won't let herself be selfish nor will she let me talk her into it. Trust me, I've tried."

"Just a little selfish?" She asked with a playful smirk she was trying to hide and it was his turn to glare. "I guess I'll see what I can do. You can call it even for me having Marshmallow chase you."

"Marshmallow? You named that snow beast after…"

"He's not a snow beast!" She quickly and defensively interrupted his incredulous wonderings. "He can actually be kind of cute when he's not defending me, especially when he steals my crown and goes walking around with it on."

He had a couple replies to counter that in mind when suddenly the magic snow they were following came to a stop up ahead.

"There she is, look." Elsa spotted a woman in all white.

"Get down." He told her ushered her down by a fallen tree. He knew Emma wouldn't be happy to hear he hadn't listened to her, especially after her stressed and slightly miffed attitude earlier. But just like when they found Zelena's hiding place for the Dark One, he wasn't about to go about this without backup.

"What is that thing?" Elsa asked when he pulled out his talking phone and it felt a little good to know that there was someone out there that knew less than he did about this realm.

"It's a device for talking…" He began trying to sound as if he actually knew something then gave up. "I don't bloody know. I press the 'Emma button' and she answers usually."

"Why should I carry around this ridiculous thing if you're never there when I use it?" He asked when a recording of Emma's voice told him to leave a message. And what was even more ridiculous was that he actually did. "We found the person who froze Marian. Get to the west edge of the woods right away."

'Thankfully that wasn't too hard.' He thought to himself as he placed it back in his pocket. Emma had switched him to the 'outdated' phone, according to Henry, after he accidently cracked the 'touch screen' with his hook and this older model was thicker and sturdier.

"Hey, what the bloody hell are you doing?" He asked when he realized Elsa had leaned forward and was in plain sight.

"Sorry, I've never seen someone like me before." She apologized and it reminded him of the first time Emma saw a pod of dolphins and almost leaned too far over the edge of the ship with excitement. "She doesn't look evil."

"Yeah, well looks can be deceiving, so let's just stay out of sight." He advised her and hoped she wasn't as stubborn as Emma. "I haven't a fondness of icebergs and I'd rather avoid being turned into one."

CS

There are many sayings out there about learning from your mistakes or never doing the same thing twice. And Killian could quote you many of them. But that didn't mean he always listened to them, or Emma for that matter.

They had waited long enough for Emma to show but she didn't and he was ready to leave and find her. That's when the woman in white made it known that she knew they were there all along and encased his foot and lower leg in ice.

He watched the shock on Elsa's face to find out that she apparently knew this woman and her memories were taken. He'd never encountered a rock troll personally but he felt for her having lost Emma for years. But while his captor appeared to care for Elsa which she showed by her odd and harmful 'lessons' it was clear Elsa wasn't suffering from love lost as he had.

As the two women conversed he tried to free his leg with his hook, but it proved useless just as it had when he tried to free Emma from the ice wall. And when a dozen or more sharp icicles formed a few feet above him, even Elsa's magic couldn't melt them. When he said he didn't want to be turned into an iceberg, what he really should have said was that he didn't want to be impaled by one.

"Hey! Dairy Queen!" He heard his amazing swan yell, causing the needed distraction of this mad woman's focus to keep the icicles from falling for a few moments more.

"You really think your magic is a match for mine?"

"There's only one way to find out." Emma replied and find out they did when their adversary went flying a couple yards. Not that he ever doubted of course.

But he didn't have time to admire her power as the next moments happened quickly in succession. David quickly took the opportunity to try and free him with his sword, which proved just as useless as his hook. And gravity reared its ugly head and the icicles began falling on their own then were given some magic help. But it wasn't the only magical help given as a force from Emma pushed both he and David well out of harm's way.

"You guys okay?" She asked them and they nodded as they quickly became aware that their newest villain had escaped.

"Thanks, love," He said as he walked up to her and he could tell that although she was glad he was alright she was still far from happy, and rightfully so he supposed.

"Don't mention it." She shrugged as she simultaneously built up her walls. "I need to talk to Elsa. Think you can get back to town without walking into anymore danger?"

"Aye, love, I'll catch a ride with your father." He nodded knowing that it was best to let her cool off. "See you at Granny's later?"

"Like my parents would let me miss it?" She asked with a hint of sarcasm then left him and went over to Elsa.

CS

"Swan, don't let a man drink alone." He called out later that evening as she walked out of the diner.

She and the others had been discussing the 'Snow Queen' as she was now being called. And as it didn't really pertain to him he decided to step away and have a drink.

"I'm not in the mood for a drink or a man." She stated as she continued to walk past him and to the vehicle she called a 'bug'.

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't listen to you today." He apologized as he followed after her. "I know you feel like you've got the weight of the world on your shoulders and I didn't help relieve any of that today. You have every right to be put out but putting up walls isn't going to make you any stronger to defeat the Snow Queen."

"You think this is because I'm mad at you?" She questioned him, seeming honestly surprised.

"Is that not what this is about? You're unhappy because I took Elsa to the woods instead of the sheriff station and the Snow Queen was prepared to make another example of me like Marian."

"You're right, I'm not happy about that. But I can't say I was surprised when I got your voicemail." She reluctantly admitted. "More than anything though I'm mad at myself. I mean Henry already lost someone he saw as a father for a time. Now thanks to me he might lose his mother and today he almost lost his actual father and grandfather. And I just feel like this Snow Queen knows me and if she does then she has leverage and I have nothing."

"Yes, you do, love. You have your boy who believes in you, your parents who have faith in you and hope that you will succeed. And you have a dashing rapscallion that loves you and will stand by your side no matter who we're up against." He assured her. "Why don't we head inside and forget the Snow Queen for the rest of the night?"

"I can't. I'm staying at my parents' tonight." She turned him down.

"Swan, I already apologized for this afternoon but I'll say it again if that's what you want. But don't push me away because you don't have to worry about losing me and neither does Henry. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's surviving." He implored her, thinking she was staying away because of what he'd done.

"Oh no, Killian, that's not why…I'm not that angry with you." She quickly back pedaled. "I just promised my parents I'd babysit Lucas for them tonight. Dad wanted to celebrate Mom's first official day in office or something. Anyway I agreed earlier before the Snow Queen tried to kill you and just never got the chance to say anything."

"Well, I'm glad I'm not…in the doghouse, I believe I once heard your father say." He sighed with a bit of relief. "Speaking of whom, I bet your parents are appreciative of what you're doing. But I can't say I'm not a little disappointed."

"Hey, there's nothing that says you can't accompany me. After all Lucas hasn't gotten to spend much time with his…brother-in-law? You know maybe we should just keep it simple with Uncle Killian since you are a few centuries older than him. Anyway, you haven't even held him yet."

"And there's a reason for that. Spending my years on the sea as a pirate hasn't brought many opportunities to be around young children, especially newborn babes." He told her hoping she wouldn't press the matter.

"Are you saying the fearsome Captain Hook is afraid of a baby that's a couple weeks old?" She asked him and he could see the barely contained humorous grin.

"Of the lad? No. Of your father if any harm comes to him? Aye, love, very much." He stated. "But don't ever tell him I said that."

"How about, in exchange for my silence you come back with me to the loft and I'll show you how to properly hold a baby." She tried to negotiate with him, like he really had any chance of refusing her.

"Like I said, there's a bit of pirate in you, Swan." He chuckled and let her lead him to her car.

CS

(Emma POV)

"Well, would you look at that. The great Captain Hook can hold a baby after all!" Emma teased as she took her phone out to take a picture. "Lucas! Look at the camera, buddy!"

"No offense, love, but between you and your mother, this little lad is going to be blind before his first birthday." Killian commented after she took a few pictures. Okay a dozen.

"The flash wasn't even on, Killian." She told him and rolled her eyes. "Besides, we need as many pictures as we can get before he learns to crawl and walk and refuse to stand still. And my parents and I want him to have everything we didn't, and that includes an overload of baby pics."

"I have a feeling that even if your parents did raise you, you'd refuse even as a babe to have your picture taken. And just imagine if you were in the Enchanted Forest and had to sit for royal portraits." He said just to get under her skin, and it worked.

"You really are an evil villain." She mumbled and stalked over to the kitchen.

"I'm only stating the truth, love. Though I still don't understand why someone as lovely as you prefers to always take the pictures rather than be in them despite the many bribes." He commented and she thought back to the day her mom and Lucas left the hospital. "But if that's my only 'villainous' crime than I'll gladly plead guilty."

Her mom wanted professional pictures taken of them as a family, which they did the day before she and Killian went through the portal. And it took a lot of convincing to get her to agree. Not that she didn't want the pictures, but getting all dressed up, having the photographer put everyone in ridiculous poses, and standing around while the lighting and everything were adjusted was just not appealing. She consented however and the pictures were great, but she still preferred the candid pictures her parents or Henry took when she didn't have to worry about her appearance and the more natural feel of it.

"Good! And you can start with a bit of community service. Ready to try feeding a baby since you seem to have no problems holding one?" She asked but it wasn't really a question.

"Swan, I'm holding your brother in the crook of my left arm and keeping him in place with my right hand. What am I supposed to hold the bottle with?" He questioned her.

"With your right hand." She stated and sat next to him on the couch. "He's not gonna fall, Killian. He'll be too busy eating to even think about squirming around. Or I can get my mom's feeding pillow as an extra barrier if you want."

"In desperate situations, the lives of the crew are in the hand of the captain, love. Therefore one must learn to make do with what he has, or in this case doesn't have, no matter what the bloody hell he's up against." He told her with an outward air of authority and calm as he took the bottle. And she interpreted that as, he was nervous but his pride wasn't about to let him admit it or use a yellow pillow with pink and blue birds on it.

"Well, _Captain_ ," She said with emphasis on his title. "I know first-hand how you take care of your crew. So I have no doubt that Lucas couldn't be in better arms." And she sealed her words with a kiss on his cheek.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed this! I know I enjoyed writing it. I also enjoyed and loved seeing this story reach 225 reviews! That's all you awesome readers and I can't say "THANK YOU" enough! :D But I'll try by giving a sneak peek for next week. I can't give away too much but I think you'll figure out what you have to look forward to.**

Making Plans

Finally, after a little over two hundred years, he once again had a hand instead of hook. He felt like a new person almost. He used to wear the rings of the men he killed as trophies but then they became reminders. His hook had been similar. It was used a weapon, a tool for intimidation, and evidence of what Rumpelstiltskin had taken from him and fueled his need for revenge. But lately it had become a reminder of the villain he was and someone he never wanted to be again. He wanted to be a man worthy of Emma's love and Henry's respect. But now without the dark reminder maybe he could actually move past the legacy of 'Captain Hook'.

And with being a new man, he decided he should have a new look to go with it. Just as he had left behind his naval uniform once turning to piracy and pretty much anything with color other than his red vest. He had gone with Emma once to buy David new shirts since Lucas was spitting up on them faster than Snow could wash them. So he knew where to find what he was looking for. At least he hoped he would since he couldn't picture himself in what David wore.


	40. Making Plans

The next morning Emma made her way around the kitchen to make breakfast for her parents. They were still asleep after getting in pretty late the night before and it was a rare opportunity to do something like this for them. And the only reason she was up was because Killian woke up at the crack of dawn to quickly depart and avoid any awkward situations with her parents. Her dad was a little tipsy when they got home and was giving over-zealous hugs.

Even though she was disappointed when Killian left, she also enjoyed the quiet of the morning as it gave her time to think. She was glad the ordeal yesterday was quickly put to rest and that he was alright. But just like her mom's 'death' sparked in her a greater need to return home and have those much needed talks, what happened yesterday prompted something in her.

She really wanted to help Elsa as they were similar in their ways, almost like a sister she never had. She also needed to keep the town safe from the Snow Queen, discover who she was, and why she seemed to know her. She and Killian certainly spent time together while doing things like this and called them 'dates'. But she wanted to have a real one, like she told her mom and Elsa about. It wasn't practical to think they could do a weekend getaway right now or anything like that. But there was no reason they couldn't steal away a couple hours just for themselves, her parents certainly had last night.

So as soon as she finished breakfast with her parents she went over to Granny's. She found Killian throwing darts and wasn't surprised that he was getting all bullseyes. Maybe she should teach Henry how to play since she knew a thing or two and have him hustle Killian the next time they made a bet.

"Swan, any word on the Snow Queen?" Killian asked when he noticed her presence after collecting the darts.

"No, not yet but my mom is gonna get the census records from both curses and go over them tonight." She informed him.

"That's alright, Swan, you'll find her. And if your mother can steal a ring from your father twice, the two of you should no doubt find what you need." He said and gave her an encouraging smile.

"Actually, it'll be David and Elsa's job to help her. I might help later on but I have other plans for the majority of the evening." She told him trying to keep the smile of her face, wanting to surprise him.

"Really? You certainly made a lot of plans this morning, almost wish I had stuck around." He replied but his face said the opposite and she couldn't blame him. "Anything in your plans that a dashing rapscallion might help with?"

"Funny you should mention that because that's the only thing that can help me." She teased a little. "You see I was thinking about what you said before I got stuck behind the ice wall. And what you said last night about being a survivor and you're right…"

"It's like I said, love, you don't have to worry about me." He stated before she could finish where she was going with that train of thought and turned around to throw another dart.

"Good, because I'm here to ask you out." She stated just as he released the dart and watched as it hit the wall at least a foot from the board and crashed to the floor. "To dinner or something."

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you out?" He asked and his face showed that he was surprised by her sudden request as well as a little annoyed that he'd blown the shot.

"I should have known you'd be old-fashioned. What are you like, three hundred?" She commented knowing he was defensive about his age sometimes. "But you've asked me out many times in the past and now we're in my world."

"Curses and Neverland may have given me experience, but as you can see, I've retained my youthful glow." He told her with a bit of a flirty look in his eye as he stepped closer into her personal space, not that she minded. "And I'm very well aware that we're in your world where men and women's roles are a bit more equal and there's more compromise. So since you asked me out, you let me plan the evening."

"I know how to plan a date!" She replied defensively.

"You know how to chase a monster; I know how to plan an evening out. I've never disappointed you before have I?"

"Actually there was once…"

"That was not my fault, love." He corrected her. "So, I'll see you tonight?"

"Yeah, if I survive breaking the news to my parents and all the pampering my mom will want to give me." She joked.

"Aye, I can only imagine the talk Dave will try to give." He added then leaned in to give her a kiss. "I'll be counting the hours, love."

She rolled her eyes at the cheesy comment but still gave him another kiss before turning to leave. But then a though popped into her mind.

"Hey, Killian?" She called as she turned around, once again making him miss the dart board. "Sorry…"

"What is it now, Swan?" He asked, pretending to be put out with her but he was obviously too happy about their date to really care.

"Just thought that you should know you have, as you put it, 'retained your youthful glow'. You're still as dashing as the first day we met." She told him, which was a rare thing, as she usually chose not to further inflate his ego.

"Thank you, lass." He smiled and kissed her hand as he often had in the past. And afterwards she left Granny's for good this time and went to Regina's to talk to Henry.

CS

Month 11

 _"Wow, just wow." Emma stated, unable to believe the course the night had taken._

 _It had started off great then ended in a bit of a disaster. She had been feeling a little moody the day before and started ranting on all the things she missed from her world like onion rings, showers, pizza, relaxing while watching a movie, popcorn, comfy clothes like sweatpants and hoodies, and so on. So to give her a little reminder of home, Killian asked what couples did for dates in her world. And since she hadn't gone on any real dates, nobody ever asking her and never meeting anyone worthwhile, she gave the stereotypical answer of dinner and a movie. In her mind that meant maybe an Italian restaurant, more realistically the local pizza place, and going to see Titanic or Star Wars Episode I. The latter of the two, she totally did not sneak in to a theater to see._

 _But Killian always went above and beyond which meant a home cooked meal. It sounded great until she realized he had made something with boiled mackerel and a grapefruit dessert. She learned to eat what she was given in the foster homes and decided not ask what she was eating some times since arriving in the Enchanted Forest. And while grapefruit wasn't bad, she did have difficulty with the main dish. But she did her best to eat it and not hurt his feelings._

 _The walk into the village was pleasant though and she had a good a feeling about the rest of the night. And when they reached their destination she got very excited. The architecture and design of the theatre was a work of art in and of itself. She would've been happy with just a tour of the place and to see the fine craftsmanship and gold-covered fixtures in all their glory. In fact she wished she had as the play, which was similar in plot to Romeo and Juliet, was cringe worthy. Actually it wouldn't have been too bad if the extras didn't appear drunk. And it was declared over at intermission when one of the extras tripped and knocked the leading lady of the stage. So much for "the show must go on"._

 _"Aye, this is not how I intended the evening to go, love. I am indeed sorry and I'll try to make it up to you if you would allow me to. But if you'd rather just turn in early, I completely understand." He sighed then rubbed that spot behind his ear like he always did._

 _"Yeah it's definitely not what I imagined either. But you have nothing to apologize for." She told him. "Unless, you were the one to give the cast the rum."_

 _"That lot doesn't deserve rum, only cheap ale at best. I'll never bloody know how they were hired there in the first place." He mumbled, offended at the thought of unworthy people drinking rum._

 _"Maybe they just decided to have an after party celebration beforehand." She shrugged._

 _"I know it won't be a favorite memory of our honeymoon, but I'm glad we're already married. If we were still courting you could've run for the bloody hills right now. And I probably couldn't blame you if you did. Tonight was to make you feel back home. All I did was make you endure that wretched play and gag through dinner. And don't lie, love, I could read you like a book the entire time." He spoke and she could see that he was beating himself up._

 _"Killian, first, you're right. I've eaten a lot of fish in the last several months but mackerel doesn't sit well. And second, I doubt I would get far running in a corset." She stated to lighten the mood a bit before getting to the heart of what she wanted to say. "And third, I know what you were trying for and it was sweet. But I don't need reminders of home, nothing ever went right there. But here everything has, tonight included, because I'm with you. I promised for better or for worse. And home is wherever you are."_

 _"I don't think that that's what 'for worse' means, Swan." He replied and she was glad to see a hint of a smile. "But I'm grateful I haven't completely disappointed you and that you feel this is right."_

 _"Only one thing could make it more right." She told him and gave his left hand a squeeze. "So, we're going to go back to the ship before anything gets worse. Then tomorrow you are gonna take me to do whatever is customary for courting in this land."_

 _"As you wish, Mrs. Jones." He promised and gave her a kiss that made her forget the less than pleasant aspects of the evening._

CS

Killian POV

After Emma left the diner Killian gathered up the fallen darts and decided it was time to quit for the day. Even without her interruptions, which he was grateful for since it meant a special evening, he knew he wouldn't be able to concentrate on his aim.

He wanted to make the evening memorable for her, and not in a bad way like the disaster she had reminded him of. The only place he'd eaten at so far in this world was Granny's and a few 'fast-food' places in New York. There weren't any places like that in Storybrooke, and no offense to the Widow Lucas but he wanted to take Emma somewhere that she didn't already go every day.

So he decided to do a little exploration of the town that for once had nothing to do with a crisis. While walking he tried to remember the conversation he had with Emma about dates in her world. She mentioned dinner and gave an Italian restaurant as an example and a movie. Not knowing what Italian was he came up with a poor substitute. And even though a play was close, that proved not to measure up as well. So this time he was determined to follow Emma's wish to the letter. At least when it came to dinner, because he didn't see anything special about watching a movie together in her parents' loft, so he'd come up with something else for that.

Thinking back made him also remember the encouraging words Emma had told him and more specifically what she'd done as she said them. She grasped his left hand. Before leaving Granny's she said he was just as dashing as the day they met and he was inclined to agree, except for that. The man she'd met had both hands and while she never said anything negative about his hook he knew that it couldn't be the same. But then a thought came to him and once again he found himself at the Crocodile's shop.

CS

Finally, after a little over two hundred years, he once again had a hand instead of hook. He felt like a new person almost. He used to wear the rings of the men he killed as trophies but then they became reminders. His hook had been similar. It was used a weapon, a tool for intimidation, and evidence of what Rumpelstiltskin had taken from him and fueled his need for revenge. But lately it had become a reminder of the villain he was and someone he never wanted to be again. He wanted to be a man worthy of Emma's love and Henry's respect. But now without the dark reminder maybe he could actually move past the legacy of 'Captain Hook'.

And with being a new man, he decided he should have a new look to go with it. Just as he had left behind his naval uniform once turning to piracy and pretty much anything with color other than his red vest. He had gone with Emma once to buy David new shirts since Lucas was spitting up on them faster than Snow could wash them. So he knew where to find what he was looking for. At least he hoped he would since he couldn't picture himself in what David wore.

The only clothes from this world that he wore so far were the night clothes Emma gave him in New York. The result of a mix up in the clearance bin apparently. But he knew from those that Emma liked him in navy blue as something different from his usual black which was a start.

Thankfully after about half an hour he found clothes his size and fit his devilishly handsome style. He believed Emma would like them and he bought enough to have for several days before he would need to do laundry. And while he was paying for the clothes the clerk told him of Tony's and after stopping by he thought it'd be the perfect place for tonight. Now there were just two more things and he would be ready for tonight.

CS

Killian would never admit it to anyone but he felt a slight bit of nervousness as he walked up the stairs to the Charmings' loft to pick up Emma. Whether it was because he had never picked up a girl before like this for a date, Emma was the only one he'd ever courted but things had been different when they were both living on the _Jolly_. Or because he wasn't quite sure what Emma's reaction would be when he handed her the rose behind his back with his left hand, he didn't know. Probably a bit of both. He just really hoped that David didn't hit him and leave him with a throbbing jaw all night.

But all thoughts left his mind when he saw Emma standing in front of him in a pink dress that gave a subtle hint towards the princess that she was.

"You look stunning, Swan." He told her, wanting to say more but words failed him at the moment. None of them could truly describe how beautiful she looked. And apparently she was as taken in by his appearance as he was with hers.

"You look…"

"I know." He finished for her when she was unable to find the right words. He'd tease her about that later probably but for now he wanted to stay in this moment. It wasn't often that they were both of few words but the look they shared said it all, and left no room for doubt of their love.

"Now that I'm settling into this world I thought it was time I dress the part." He continued and handed her the rose, revealing his newly restored hand.

"Wow, you really went all out." She commented a bit surprised as she reached out for the flower. But she failed to notice anything unusual until her mother pointed it out. "Is that…"

"Mine? Yeah." He answered then told her about the Crocodile but decided to leave out the blackmail bit. Tonight was about them and he didn't want anything dark or unpleasant messing things up.

"So what do I call you now? Captain Hand?" She asked even though she hadn't called him Hook for a while now except when he did something that ticked her off.

"Killian will do." He replied, humoring her.

"Okay, Killian, we should get out of here before David gives you his over-protective-dad-speech."

"Well, you can spare yourself the trouble, mate, I assure you your daughter couldn't be in better hands." He told him and for once he was actually able to use that saying without pausing to gesture with his hook. It was a nice change.

"That's exactly what worries me, especially now that you have two of them. I'm too young to be a grandfather again, Hook!"

"I can take care of myself. And I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that last part." Emma stated quickly and he would bet she was really blushing under the bit of makeup she'd put on.

Dave continued to have his fun and offered to drive them just as Emma quickly said 'bye' as she shut the door. And they both breathed a sigh of relief once they were out of the building. But he much preferred teasing to punches. And it was just a portion of time compared to the rest of the evening they had to look forward to together, only the two of them, a beautiful night, and hopefully no bloody distractions.

* * *

 **I know I cut it off just when it was getting good but "good things come to those who wait". Next chapter will be through both views again and will be similar to how I wrote the ballroom scene and all that when they went back in time. Speaking of the past, I hope you enjoyed the flashback. It's funny how it feels like forever since the last one but those were the basis sort of in the beginning. Can't say when the next one will be with so much happening in the present. But I have at least one idea up my sleeve were the past will tell Emma what's wrong. I'm rambling now and that probably makes no sense. But hopefully you'll see. Also, really appreciated the reviews last chapter, so thank you and keep them coming!**


	41. Past Feelings

Killian's date with Emma was truly amazing and proof that even after all they'd been through they were still just as much in love as they were all those years ago when things were simpler. But try as he might he couldn't push one thought out of his mind no matter how hard he tried.

The Dark One had told him his restored left hand was part of his old self and would make him become that again. But Killian had worked hard to become the person he was at present and he didn't believe anything, especially a hand that was part of him, something that he could control, could change that. But even if he didn't believe Rumpelstiltskin, he did believe that all magic came with a price and it seemed he was paying it.

Before he picked Emma up for their date he got her a rose. Different flowers and colors had meaning and as a young lad in the navy he'd once heard that a single red rose said 'I love you'. And that's exactly the message he wanted for Emma. But he'd gotten her something else as well, something he planned to give her at dinner. It was a ring.

But not the traditional engagement ring. He'd done that before and they were already married so he wanted to do something with a little more meaning. It was a hoop with three birthstones, hers, his, and Henry's, on a necklace. He also didn't want to spark any bad memories by giving her a ring.

During the days between Zelena taking Emma's magic and falling through her portal, they'd made a mutual decision to put their rings away in a safe place. Every time he saw his, he thought of Zelena's threat on Henry's life and he would catch Emma staring at hers with a blank look on her face. And he knew what she was thinking of his near death and that she had occasional nightmares about it. Maybe in the future they could wear them again, or give them to Henry when he found the one to share his life with, but for now this was the best for both of them.

Much to his annoyance though, the bloody thief had to rock the boat. Something in him, something he hadn't felt since he went after Belle when first arriving in Storybrooke, went off inside him. Almost on instinct he grabbed the man's collar and demanded that he apologize. And he didn't fail to notice that it was his left hand that he'd grabbed him with.

Emma quickly got over it and he also continued as if everything was fine. But deep down he started to wonder if the Crocodile's words were indeed true. He had barely been in control during those few moments and if it wasn't such an important night he wouldn't have hesitated to drag him outside and get a few punches in. It was ironic that that could be called normal for Captain Hook and those tendencies were stirring again now that he no longer had a hook. And even though he had been able to calm down and let it go, he was afraid it would happen again, and worse yet that he'd hurt Emma.

He'd done this for her. He wanted to be the man she deserved which wasn't a one-handed pirate with a drinking problem but the man with two hands that she'd first met. While he was still a pirate then he wasn't yet guilty for a third of the atrocities people feared him for. But the fear of hurting her wasn't worth it and he couldn't rightly ask her to be his again. Not if there was even the slightest possibility of him hurting her physically or emotionally if he truly became that dark villain again. And he knew of her past fears that he would get himself killed going after Rumpelstiltskin for his revenge.

So he did his best to enjoy the rest of the evening, which he definitely did as it was time spent with Emma, especially after they left the restaurant. It had gotten a bit chilly after the sun set so he lent his jacket to Emma to keep her warm, and because she looked even more bloody gorgeous than she already did. Of course he had to tell her so which led to flirting and a number of prolonged stolen kisses. And he did take advantage of the extra hand and tangled it in her hair, placed it at the small of her back to keep her close, and intertwined his fingers with hers as they walked. And watching the meteor shower together, he couldn't believe the luck that there happened to be one that night, was a sweet moment shared between them. The only thing that would have made it better was if they were watching from the deck of the _Jolly_.

It almost made him forget his earlier worries and he felt like a fool for not proposing and thought of doing it right then. But before he realized they were outside her parents' loft and he was not about to propose with them possibly listening on the other side of the door.

He did ask her out again though, enjoying getting to rekindle things between them. And after one last kiss he said goodnight. Once the door was closed he stood there for a moment wishing she weren't so bloody stubborn but since she had taken the night off for their date she insisted on checking with her parents to see if they needed any help or if they'd found something that couldn't wait until morning. But it was still one of the many things he loved about her and he knew that later they'd both be in their shared bed at Granny's so he left with a smile on his face and started walking back to the inn.

CS

The next morning Killian woke up before the sun and made his way to the docks. After the night they'd shared he wanted to stay in bed until Emma woke up so they could start the day off together. But as much as he hated to admit it, this was more important. While making his way back last night he'd come upon the thief from the restaurant trying to break into the library. One moment they were speaking and the next he had punched him twice without even realizing it, like a reflex.

Whether he wanted to believe the Dark One or not, it certainly seemed he was quickly reverting back to his old ways. And even though the thief probably deserved it, Emma didn't and neither did Henry. Some might say he was just paranoid but he'd rather be safe than sorry when it came to their wellbeing, even if it meant going back to Gold.

Unfortunately his enemy wasn't to be manipulated a third time and instead turned the tables. He never again wanted to make another deal with the Dark One when he wasn't the one in control as he had been the last two times. But once he grabbed his hook from him and sunk it into his chest he realized he had no choice. He was lucky Gold hadn't decided to kill him then and there, something that would have destroyed Emma and the lad. He couldn't live like this, never knowing when he'd lose control of the bloody hand.

"You have a deal. I'll do whatever it takes." He sighed and uttered those fateful words that were music to the Dark One's ears. And that's how he found himself dozing off on a bench while waiting for the meeting to find out what was required for his cursed hand to be removed instead of his bed with Emma still in his arms.

CS

(Emma POV)

Emma woke up later that morning and was a little disappointed to see Killian's side of the bed empty with only a note saying he had something to see to. But she was still greeted by the sight of the rose on the nightstand. She'd used magic to send it here last night, not wanting to spend the extra time at the loft to put it in a vase. Even when she returned later that night and saw that her parents had finished with the census records and were waiting for her she changed as quickly as she could to avoid her mom's questions. She wanted to tell her about it but that was for breakfast at Granny's because all she wanted for the rest of the night was to snuggle with her pirate.

And sure enough she got a text from her mom saying she and Lucas were heading out. So she got ready to meet them and made her way to the diner in almost a dream-like state. Not because she was tired but she was still on cloud nine from the date.

"Hey, you're here!" Her mom called out to her. "Granny's already getting us cocoa and bear claws. Speaking of food, where did he take you? How was it to date here in Storybrooke versus the Enchanted Forest? And he has two hands now, what is that like?"

"Whoa, Mom, one at a time." She laughed as Granny came over with their orders and ended up taking Lucas away with her and showing him off to the other customers. She might not be related biologically but she definitely had all the pride and joy of a true grandmother when it came to Lucas.

"Okay, then answer the first one. Where did you go?"

"Tony's." She replied and smiled at the reasoning behind it. Which she explained of course and thought her mom would burst into happy tears from it all.

"That is so sweet!" She gushed and wiped at the corner of her eye with a tissue. "So if you told him a traditional date was dinner and a movie, what did he do instead of a movie?"

"Well, there just happened to be a meteor shower last night and like a true sailor, Killian knew all about it. So he had some blankets down at the docks and a thermos of cocoa and we just sat together and watched the 'natural entertainment' as he called it."

"That's so neat, I had no idea there was going to be one."

"Yeah, we used to watch the stars all the time on the _Jolly Roger_ but I can't remember the last time we did that here in Storybrooke. It was really special." Emma told her then looked down at her cocoa.

What she didn't tell her mom was that she almost expected him to propose to her then like he had the first time. She felt silly to be a little disappointed since they were already married. But after revisiting that night in her mind last night, she hadn't thought she really needed it before but she realized how nice it would be. There was the obvious contrast to planning a wedding instead of defeating the latest villain, and getting to go back to one of the happiest days of her life and sharing it with her mom and the rest of the family.

"I bet you both really miss her." Her mom commented about the ship.

"Killian tries to hide it, but I know he thinks about it. And I'm glad he's here and got me and Henry back from New York but I wish that wasn't the price, that I could find a way to bring her back. His ship is just as much a part of him as his hook is…or was I guess." She said with a bittersweet smile.

"I know that's a big change. Your father called him Hook at least three times this morning and I had to correct him. It must be nice for both of you."

"It is, it makes things, especially last night, seem more like old times. Though actually seeing both hands again is taking some getting used to. I kind of liked the hook. He was always an intimidating pirate and that certainly helped add to it. But I saw it as more of a reminder of what he's been through and survived. The pain alone I can't imagine then learning how to adapt but he didn't let it stop him. It was a sign of his strength. But I know he's happy." She replied and thought of the proud smile on his face.

When he pulled the chair out for her like a true gentleman with both hands. The ease he was able to take his jacket off with. And the subtle smile with the look of awe and love in his eyes when he looked down and saw his left hand clasping her right and their fingers intertwining. They kept their hands together as much as they could through dinner and it was a change to feel the warmth of his hand instead of the cool of the metal hook. If it was strange yet pleasant to her, she couldn't imagine what it felt like for him to be able to feel that after a couple centuries.

She had seen him stare at it though after the encounter with the thief. But she figured it was shock from not having the use of it in so long. Thankfully the rest of the night was nearly perfect after that, especially the goodnight kiss, which she didn't go into full detail about with her mom. And if Killian was happier with his hand it was okay with her. Captain Hook or Captain Hand, he was still Killian and that's who she loved.

"I'm sure he is. And things must be a lot easier for him. Maybe with two hands he can help watch Luke…I mean Lucas some more. You two made quite the team the other night even though you mentioned he was nervous at first and your father and I really appreciated it." Her mom suggested to her.

"Mom, not you too!" She sighed in exasperation when her brother was called Luke and her mother just laughed knowing she was fighting a losing battle.

CS

"Emma, I was just about to take a break in a few minutes and get us some coffee was Granny's." Elsa greeted her as she walked into the station to talk to the thief she'd arrested for breaking into the library. "Shall I get you something as well?"

Emma heard what she said but it seemed like it came from a distance as her mind was no longer in the present, rather it was back at the restaurant last night.

"Shall I order us some drinks?" Killian asked her and she had to deny because she didn't want to be buzzed or drunk if she had to deal with the Snow Queen. But of course that wasn't where Killian's mind went. "Worried you'll find me even more irresistible after a few libations?"

She didn't need alcohol to find him irresistible and he knew it. She was however a little afraid that if they had too many drinks her dad might be called to arrest her for public indecency. And honestly that would be worse than the Snow Queen interrupting or the somewhat literal bump in the road that sent something spilling onto her dress which luckily didn't stain. Much worse.

And even though she had joked with Killian about having coffee with her parents, a newborn, and a human icemaker, she certainly wished he was here now. And she really did wish she had her own place where they could wake up together each day. Not seeing him this morning still had her a little unnerved. And maybe he could make her forget about the Snow Queen making her car spin on the ice earlier just as he had managed to make her forget last night. And she certainly wouldn't be opposed to a repeat of the kiss he'd given when dropping her off. It really made her feel like a teenager out on her first date and it was secretly part of the reason she did it. But thankfully that wasn't the real case and she was able to go home shortly after and fall asleep in the arms of the man she loved. And he really did know how to plan a date. Not that she'd admit it any time soon.

"Uh, yeah, thanks." Emma nodded, coming back to reality then walked over to the cell.

The thief, who she now knew was a man by the name of Will Scarlet, claimed he didn't know it was a library he'd broken into. And that the book and the page he'd ripped out and put in his pocket didn't mean anything to him. Just as she was asking about his eye, her wish came true and in walked her modern pirate. His new attire was also taking some getting used to but she definitely approved of the change.

"You're just gonna keep me in here because I broke into a bloody library?" Will asked incredulously as he raised his voice when she walked away after he didn't give her anymore answers.

"Because you crashed my date." She stated in reply. To some that might be a slight abuse of authority but she was sheriff of a small town and nobody would really care. So why not use it to her advantage? It made her feel a little better and would hopefully teach him a bit of a lesson.

"Which turned out pretty good despite the rude interruption." She added quietly just for Killian to hear. And she went to hold his hands as she had the night before but was met by his hook instead. "What the hell happened to your hand?"

"The Dark One's magic wasn't all I'd hoped it be." He replied simply and he tried to appear casual as if it wasn't a big deal. But she knew there was more to it than that and it wasn't just the loss of his hand again that put that look that she couldn't quite read on his face. Was this why he left so early this morning? Unfortunately this wasn't the time or place to ask. She just hoped when it was, that he would open up to her.

* * *

 **Three things I want to say to you awesome readers. One, I know it's different to show the date in retrospect but hopefully it didn't disappoint. I really wanted to focus on their thoughts of it all and give reason to what Killian's getting himself into. Two, I hate to tell you this but I'll be taking next week off, I've hit some writer's block. This story is getting toward the finish line (ending somewhere in the 40s maybe?) and my brain just won't let me write. I think it's protesting since I don't want this to end and it's happened with two of my other stories. But never fear and like the Terminator "I'll be back." and ready to go after the premiere in March. And lastly, just a big thank you to the readers, reviewers, followers, and everyone else. It is so amazing and encouraging!**


	42. Fight for It

Jealous wasn't a word Emma often used to describe herself. But she couldn't help but feel a little bit jealous when Killian left the station later on in the day. He was taking Henry sailing and leaving her with an annoying prisoner and a mountain of different files and paperwork. Then she and Elsa had to pay a trip to Regina. But Elsa stayed outside so she could try to talk it out with her, which didn't go so well. And while waiting outside Elsa saw her sister, who turned out to really be the Snow Queen, which led to a fight with a monster that took both Emma and Regina to defeat.

Afterward Emma followed Regina back to her vault and thankfully things went a little better this time. Not by much but at least Regina admitted she didn't want to kill. So by the time Emma made it back to the station she was kind of wiped out. Usually she would have just locked up for the night and gone home. But the situation with Regina brought up some old memories that refused to leave her mind. So with a sigh she unlocked a cabinet that held the single box with all her childhood mementoes.

Before she could finish mentally prepping to open it though Killian walked in smelling like salt water which was a small comfort in a way.

"Hello, love." He greeted her and by the tone of his voice she knew he had had a good time with Henry out on the water. But he quickly picked up that she wasn't in the same mood. "You seem vexed. Like you could use a drink."

And thankfully he handed her his flask as a sign that he would wait until she was ready to open up.

"What's that?" He asked and glanced at the box.

"What's left of my childhood." She replied simply, this was one of those times actions spoke louder than words.

"May I have the honor?" He asked, taking his flask back from her.

His words meant more than she could ever say, and she loved him even more for it if that was even possible. He knew of her past and that she didn't have a whole lot to keep since she never had a lot in the first place. But seeing it, how little she had, was different than just telling someone and them knowing it. So when she took the lid off and handed him a smaller box from inside, they both knew it was a pretty big step, one that showed her trust and love for him. Even though they were true love, it was still a little scary sometimes to let him in, especially when it came to this.

And she felt at ease when she saw the smile on his face as he looked through the little trinkets. It was the one area she'd never fully let him in to, and she should have known that he wouldn't judge or anything. She could tell from his face that he was just happy to connect with the young girl she had been before they met, especially when he found the glasses.

She blushed when he picked them up and looked at her, no doubt trying to picture them on her. They might be hipster style now but she was glad those didn't make it through the portal with her. He still would have called her beautiful but she remembered how nerdy they were back in the day. Plus she was used to foster parents that never bothered getting her new ones and her eyes weren't too bad really so she didn't suffer much from it.

Then he found the picture of her and Neal. Neither of them said anything but shared a moment of silence for the still recent loss then moved on. There was nothing else exciting in the little box so she pulled out the video camera and figured he would enjoy that so she set it up and sat beside Killian on the edge of a desk.

"I haven't watched this since I recorded it, but some things happened today that made me think about the past." She told him as her thumb hovered over the 'play' button.

"Reflective today are we?" He asked, though it was more like a statement, as he took her hand in his, encouraging her on. "Hey, show me. I'd love to know more about your beginnings."

Letting out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding she finally hit play and an image of her from about thirteen maybe filled up the screen. And a second later, the friend she had told Regina about appeared right next to her. What she said earlier was true, she did regret shutting her out but watching this made her realize it even more.

She let out a sigh and gave a vague answer when Killian asked who it was. And like always he was able to read her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders to draw her closer, knowing that's what she needed.

"Where's that?" He asked when a boy appeared in the next shot; clearly he had taken the camera from her and started filming. It was probably going through Killian's head to find this boy and threaten him or something for his bad form. But in this case, she couldn't tell him even if she wanted to.

"I don't remember any of this." She told him as she stared intently at the screen trying to recognize something, someone, just anything.

"Bloody hell," Killian stated exactly what she was thinking, or something close to it, when the latest villain to their town was shown. The Snow Queen had been her foster mother? This was definite proof that she knew her and had messed with her and Elsa's memories. She had to tell the others.

CS

(Killian POV)

"Emma, wait!" He called after her when she jumped up and grabbed her coat and keys. "Swan, where are you going?"

"I have to tell Elsa, my parents, Regina, and…"

"I know this is important, love, and raises even more questions. But before you go running off anywhere you need to calm down. I don't want you crashing that car of yours because your mind's all over the place." He cut her off and placed his hand and his hook on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes.

"But, Killian…"

"I know it's unsettling, love, trust me." He said and pushed back a strand of hair behind her ear to calm her a bit. And it appeared to have worked some as she wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned against his chest.

He was on edge during their trip to Neverland believing he and Emma had a past but not knowing what exactly happened. But he knew he could trust her and wasn't afraid of what he didn't know. Emma on the other hand truly didn't remember any of this and her past was with a villainous ice witch that wanted who knows what with her. She had every right to be afraid but he was afraid of what could happen to her when she was this vulnerable.

"But perhaps we could use this to our advantage." He suggested after a moment of silence and slowly rubbed her back.

"How?" She asked him quietly and pulled back just enough so they could see each other.

"The Snow Queen took your memories, but she obviously didn't know about this. That gives us a bit of an advantage as she'll continue to think you don't have any idea when you do. And now we know just how long she's been in this land and it can help us figure out how she got here. And also what she wants if she found you back then."

"But I _don't_ have a clue, Killian. Five seconds on a video doesn't tell much. And if we're to figure out those things then we need to tell the others." She argued and took a step back, out of his arms, and threw hers up in the arm in exasperation.

"Aye, love, and we will but not tonight. That video will still be here in the morning and you can do a much better job of planning when you're rested. Today's been a long day and the reason I came here in the first place was to make sure you didn't work all night." He told her and grabbed her coat and helped put it on. "Plus this is a small town and if you and everyone else went racing over to your parents' at this time of night, the Snow Queen would find out and know we've discovered something. But there's nothing unusual about everyone coming here in the morning to discuss things over coffee and pastries from Granny's."

"I guess you're right." She sighed and gave in and he was relieved that she wasn't going to do anything rash tonight. "I just…I knew that she knew me but I never thought…what could she want with me back then? I didn't know about fairytales, that I was the daughter of Snow White, and I certainly didn't know I had magic and was destined to bring happy endings."

"I know, love, I know. Come on and let's get out of here. A walk by the sea could do us both some good." He suggested and held her hand in his and led her outside.

"How did you do it?" She asked quietly a few minutes into their walk. "After you knew but before you remembered. How were you always so calm?"

"You're not the only one with walls, love." He told her, meaning that he wasn't always as calmed as he apparently appeared. "And forgive me for saying this, but until Neverland, even though I knew it was true, it wasn't my primary concern. My revenge meant everything until the town was almost destroyed and I felt the need to protect you and Henry. But it was during our adventure on the island; I truly enjoyed spending time with you and being near you. And for every answer I got you also became more intriguing. And you know I love…"

"A challenge, yeah I know." She finished for him and even laughed a little. "But you still haven't quite answered the question."

"I'm getting there." He replied a bit defensively, just to keep that smile on her face. "Aye, I love a challenge and I also love you, even though I didn't quite know that's what I was feeling at the time. As that feeling grew the more I wanted to remember, I wanted a chance with you. But I also wanted to be worthy of you, to be a hero like you deserved. And I knew that before I could even have the slightest hope of us being together, memories or not, I knew we had to succeed in rescuing the lad. Then your father got himself poisoned and after your show of gratitude, the past was no longer a concern just the present and future."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I should have talked to you sooner, I wanted to. But I guess more than time stays the same in Neverland, my mind did too. I couldn't let myself think of anything but Henry until we were out of there and he was safe." She sighed in apology but continued before he could speak to assure her there was nothing to forgive. "So basically instead of worrying about what you couldn't remember you drove yourself to find Henry and become a man worthy of me. Then voila, true love's kiss broke the curse. I don't think that last one's gonna solve this and if the Ice Witch comes anywhere near Henry, she's gonna get a taste of her own medicine."

"Well, I should surely hope not. I'm the only one you're allowed to share that with, Mrs. Jones." He stated in a serious tone but his look was anything but. He had no fear of her kissing anyone other than himself and just wanted to bring a small smile to her face again. "Swan, I may not know what the Snow Queen wants but I do know that she won't get anywhere near Henry. And don't forget about that last point you made. You don't need to be worthy of me, Emma, you already are. You're more than worthy actually and I love you.

"But I have a feeling you don't always see yourself that way. So this time around, I'm going to do whatever it takes to make you believe that. And you'll be so wrapped in us that this crisis will be solved before you even realize it. Just like that passionate kiss you gave me in Neverland, I honestly didn't think you would. And I never thought I'd have my memories so soon."

"Elsa's right, you're level of self-appreciation is ridiculous." She shook her head and laughed. "But I love you too. And I doubt it'll really be that easy but I guess I'm willing to give it a shot. So is this the part where you ask me out again?"

"No." He answered and reached into his pocket. "This is the part where I propose to you again."

He got down on one knee as Emma opened her mouth to say something but all that came was a stutter of shock. And he too was a bit shocked; this was not his plan and she still didn't know about is work with Gold. But the unplanned aspect made it feel more genuine in a way and now that the words had slipped out of his mouth he knew this was the right moment. So he held out the necklace and let it dangle from his fingers as he tried to find the right words.

"We both have pain in our past, and those memories aren't always easy to revisit. But all of them, painful or not, are worth it as long as we're together. The memory loss, returning to Neverland, the second curse, Zelena's bloody plan, I'd relive every one of those things to reach this moment and every moment in our future. I can't promise that there won't be hard times in the future or that we'll never be separated, unfortunately. But a circle or hoop never ends; I promise that I will never stop loving you, Emma, and fighting for us and our future, our happy ending. Will you do me the honor of fighting for it with me and be my beautiful wife again?"

"Like I'd really let you go off and fight for it by yourself without me?" She asked rhetorically with a smile and he knew what she was telling him. But it was still music to his ears when she confirmed it aloud. "Aye, the honor's all mine, Captain."

"I love you, Emma, my swan, my pirate-princess." He said with a rare smile that had only been seen the first time he proposed and on their wedding day.

He placed the necklace over her head and adjusted her hair then leaned in for a kiss that neither of them would soon forget. It was bloody amazing. And even though Emma said he was the one with the gift of spouting romantic nonsense and clichés, he couldn't do it justice. But he wasn't about to complain as to how his mind was otherwise occupied.

And when it was over they held each other for a long moment with her head on his shoulder and his cheek against her hair.

"You did it you know." She whispered into the quiet night.

"What's that, love?" He asked as he ran his fingers through her hair.

"Topped the first time." She replied then went on. "I'll admit I thought it would be after our date. But this was the comfort and reassurance that I needed tonight."

"I'm glad and not just because you gave the answer I wanted to hear." He told her and kissed her forehead. "And I actually was planning to propose that night."

"Oh? Why didn't you?"

"I was enjoying the evening and your company so much that I simply forgot." He answered and luckily she laughed instead of questioning his slight lie.

"I think that's exactly what made tonight special. It wasn't planned and that it just happened proves that it's meant to be. Not that there's anything wrong with planning, you certainly did it right back in the Enchanted Forest and swept me off my feet. But since we've already had that I think tonight was sweet because it wasn't traditional." She sort of rambled, and blushed a little when she caught herself. But he found it endearing. "I love the necklace by the way and the meaning behind it."

"Aye, as you said, we've already gone the traditional route. Also a ring is more likely to get lost or damaged in your line of work. And a necklace to serve as a new reminder, that you have family and a husband willing to fight for you seemed more fitting than a diamond." He said and she smiled when she heard the meaning behind it. And they were both leaning in for another kiss when her phone buzzed loudly. "Swan, if that's your father…"

"It's Henry." She stated before he could follow through with his threat and looked as though she was trying not to laugh. "He wants to know when we'll be there and if I can bring extra popcorn. Do you know anything about this?"

"Right…" He sighed suddenly remembering what he and Henry had talked about while sailing. "When I came to the station I was supposed to bring you back for a movie night with your parents. This afternoon Henry and I decided it was time for the one with the ogre that married a princess and makes fun of Prince Charming. I hate to disappoint him. I was rather looking forward to it."

"Who says we can't still do it?" She shrugged. "We can tell my parents the news and won't get in trouble for not telling them this time. And Henry can spend the night with them while we make our way back to the inn, just you and me."

"Sailing with Henry this afternoon and my true love saying 'yes', as well as making jokes at Dave's expense, and some private celebrating later on. I say that today has been just about perfect." He stated with a content smile, hardly believing all the good in his life after centuries of being alone. And with smiles still on both their faces he followed through with the kiss he intended to give her before Henry's message.

* * *

 **Yay, OUAT is back and so am I! Also, you'll be happy to know I've kicked butt with my writing and I'm working on the last chapter/epilogue. So this story will be back to two updates a week until it's finished. And don't worry you'll see the results of watching Shrek 2 first thing next chapter. Hope you enjoyed this one and the proposal lived up to expectations. Sorry I didn't give it sooner but I got the idea for Killian to say 'this is the part where I propose to you again' and loved it too much to think of anything else. Anyway, thanks for the reviews last chapter, keep them coming as they get me so excited, and get ready to read the next chapter on Thursday!**


	43. Mind & Heart

"Oi, mate! Is that glitter on your lips?" Killian baited David at the station the next morning just after he had kissed his wife.

"Shut it, pirate!" Dave told him through clenched teeth. And he did indeed shut his mouth but only to form a smug smirk which grew when he saw Emma, Henry, and Snow trying not to laugh. "And you three can quit the innocent act, which you aren't very good at by the way. Can somebody tell me what I did to deserve this? You know I expect this from him. But from my own family?"

"Well, it's…funny." Snow confessed, trying to sound apologetic but it wasn't convincing as everyone gave into their laughter except for Prince Charming himself.

"Alright fine, laugh all you want now. But don't think I won't remember this." He warned them but no one paid him any mind.

"Okay, I'm not sure what's going on here because you're certainly not discussing the Snow Queen." Regina stated as she walked in. "And, David, you're about as intimidating as the sheep you used to tend. Now what is this all about?"

"Last night we watched _Shrek 2._ The one where Prince Charming is a big spoiled baby." Henry told her.

"Who dances with a rose in his mouth and thinks he's a gift to women." Emma added which earned her a glare from her father.

"He depends on Mommy for everything and loves his hair." Snow also added and shared a conspiratorial look with Emma and Henry.

"And don't forget the glittery cherry lipstick." Killian couldn't help but rub in again.

"At least it wasn't…what is it Regina calls you?" Dave wondered.

"Captain Guyliner." Regina answered proudly.

"Right that." Dave stated looking smug and triumphant, thinking he had the upper hand.

"Aye, and it takes a certain type to pull it off and I think you're just jealous that you're not it." Killian replied with a smug grin of his own and watched as the prince's face fell.

"That has nothing to do with anything!" He yelled at him.

"Are you sure? That's sounds like a bit of denial to me, mate. But don't worry, we're all family and won't judge." He stated which caused everyone, even Regina, to start laughing once again.

"What the hell is taking Gold so long?" Dave mumbled as he left the room and angrily punched buttons on his phone presumably to make a call.

CS

The next morning they also met up and made plans but things were much more serious this time around. Instead of Killian and the prince taking shots at one another they actually worked together to search for the Snow Queen's mirror. Belle had discovered the night before that it was part of a spell that would turn everyone against each other. And Emma and Elsa would be the only ones safe from it because 'Ingrid' believed them to be her sisters.

But in trying to stop her, they only succeeded to play right into her hands. She no doubt still had plans for the spell of shattered sight but the mirror they found was a fake. Her focus seemed to be mind games with Emma as the target which was why she was so easily caught. But they were too late in realizing it and the damage was already done when they arrived at the station…literally.

The locks were iced over to keep them out and Belle and David thought the best option was Gold. Unfortunately he didn't have time to argue with them but when they got back it appeared they didn't need him as there was already a way in. Or more likely, the giant hole in the side of the building was the Snow Queen's way out.

"Swan, what did that monster do to the sheriff's station?" He asked after he stopped a few feet away from her since she wanted everyone to wait. But he didn't see any danger so he slowly started to close the gap between them.

"The monster who did this was not the Snow Queen, it was me." She confessed and stared at her hands in a way he imagined that he had looked at his after punching Scarlet outside the library. "Just keep your distance. I don't know if I can control myself, I don't want to hurt anyone."

She turned her back to them and started to walk away despite their protests. And he tried to follow after her, completely ignoring Gold's advice to heed her words. This wasn't the time to leave her alone. But just as he was a hair away from grabbing her arm she quickly turned and pulled away and her magic sparked all the light fixtures. And David pushed him out of the way when one of the street lamps started to fall, taking the brunt of it himself.

A bruised shoulder was probably the worst he got but Killian knew Emma would still feel the guilt. And to make matters worse, her mother didn't exactly give the most helpful reaction. The remorse could be heard in her voice a moment later but it was too late and Emma took off in her car before anyone could stop her.

It pained him to do so but he knew he couldn't immediately chase after her. Not when she thought her family was afraid of her. He just hoped she didn't do anything rash out of desperation as he had recently done. Unlike his past and becoming a villain again, her magic was nothing to fear. She obviously didn't have as much experience as Regina or Gold but what had just happened was all the Snow Queen's manipulations. He'd seen the good she could do with it and this was just a one-time accident and he hoped she would remember that.

"Let's get this place cleaned up. And if we haven't heard from her by then, then we go looking for her." David suggested and stepped inside through the opening in the wall.

"Allow me, dearie." The Crocodile stated and magically repaired the brick and mortar. He then departed and left the rest of them to clear up the debris.

"Wait, shouldn't somebody be going after the Snow Queen?" Henry suggested as he grabbed a broom and started to sweep.

"I have a feeling those shackles didn't really hold her and that she just made us think we had her. So even if we could find her I doubt we'd be able to capture her again." David told him. "But we're not giving up, Henry. We will stop her and we'll find Emma."

"And I second that, lad." Killian told him and placed his hand on his shoulder. "If I can find your mother in New York then I can definitely find her here in Storybrooke if need be. She's strong and she'll find a way to control her power instead of the other way around."

"Thanks." The lad nodded and gave a half smile. "And not just for right now. Mom told me what you did to get to us in New York you know. I know I didn't want to give you the time of day at first but…"

"I know, lad." He replied and patted him on the back when Henry struggled to find what he wanted to say. Usually Emma would say he had inherited his gift of words but he knew it wasn't easy for a near teenager when it came to such things. He had struggled himself sometimes to express his feelings to Liam, something which he regretted after he passed. But he was sure Liam knew, just as he knew now how Henry felt.

CS

All night they had searched for Emma and they weren't one bloody step closer to finding her in the morning. She didn't want to be found. But somehow Henry did behind all their backs. He wanted to be upset with him for sneaking out but he couldn't fault him for inheriting so much from him and Emma. And he decided Henry had been through enough when he told them what happened. The thought of Emma hurting their son, even accidently, seemed impossible. And it only made him more livid with the Snow Queen for getting under Emma's skin in such a way.

"When your powers are out of control, everything is upside down. You don't want to be anywhere near the people you love." Elsa explained after Snow took Henry to bathroom to clean his cut.

"Wonderful. Shall we send Sneezy after her then? Or Happy? Which is the dwarf she despises?" Killian stated sarcastically, letting out a bit of his pent up frustration.

"I was so scared that I would hurt Anna until I finally realized, you can't run away from the people who love you, because in the end they're the only ones who can help you." Elsa continued.

"It looks like Emma's fear has just turned into a reality then and she no doubt has gone even further into hiding." He sighed and placed his head in his hand. He could feel a headache coming on probably from stress and exhaustion, though he wouldn't admit the latter. He would rest when Emma was found.

"I'm going to call in the dwarves; we can't do this on our own anymore." David stated.

"Good idea." Elsa nodded. "But why don't you leave it to them and get some rest for yourself. Despite what you think, you aren't any good to Emma if you collapse in the woods. We all need clear heads if we want to help her."

"I appreciate the opinion, love. But there's no bloody way I'm…" He began but stopped when the bathroom door opened. "Henry, lad, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." He nodded, even less convincing than Emma, before he headed straight upstairs.

"Why don't I believe that?" David mumbled, no doubt thinking the same as him.

"I don't even know what to tell myself about all this, let alone him." He sighed, admitting defeat.

"Welcome to fatherhood." Was the response he got, one of the rare times they actually understood each other.

"Let me talk to him. At the least, I can give him some ice." Elsa suggested and made her way up the stairs.

"Hook, where are you going?" David asked him as he made his way to the door.

"Where do you bloody think? I can't sit around useless. I'm going to find her." He stated forcefully and glared at the hand Dave had placed at his arm to keep him from going out the door.

"You can't search the entire town by yourself. And taking a break to rest isn't useless. You may have survived for centuries but you're still only human. And running around like a chicken with your head cut off isn't going to get you anywhere. We need a plan." He reasoned with him.

"David's right. Take time now to figure out the most likely places and you'll ultimately save time in the long run." Mary Margaret tried to reason with him.

"Find me a bloody map then." He gave in and made his way to the couch and let out a deep breath.

His mind and heart were ready to chase after her but his body was indeed in need of rest. But sleep wasn't an option. So he took out his rum, not caring what hour it was, and poured it into the coffee Snow gave him along with a map.

CS

"Confounded talking phones and voicemail." Killian said to himself after leaving a message for Emma. How quickly could one turn off their phone?

She had called her parents just after Elsa finished talking with Henry. She didn't give many details and her parents didn't know what to make of the few she did. But he knew. He hoped he was wrong, but he knew. So he quickly excused himself to warn her but she didn't bloody answer.

"Crocodile!" He yelled as entered the darkened shop. "Where are you?!"

If he was too late…

And then he saw a handprint burned into the wood of the counter. Emma had been here and must have been truly desperate. But it was clear the place was empty now. Had she left willingly with the Crocodile after making the call to her mother? Or had he already trapped her forever?

"Emma…no," He whispered and he dug through his pocket for his phone again and shook his head in denial. "No, no, no…"

"Swan, it's Killian again. You have to listen to me. I know that you've been to see Gold, I saw what you did. If he's promised to get rid of your powers don't listen to him. He doesn't want to help you; he wants to collect your powers in a bloody magic hat. And when he does you'll be sucked in too." He quickly warned her and he could feel the panic and adrenaline rushing through him. "I don't know what he's planning to do, but he's been lying to Belle. The dagger he gave her is a fake. I only know all this because…"

It wasn't enough just to warn her and he knew that. And he immediately sobered as he realized what else he had to tell her. He swallowed the lump in his throat and stared at the ground for a moment in shame. This wasn't supposed to be this way.

"Because I've been lying to you too." He confessed to the bloody talking phone. "Gold blackmailed me into helping him. He knew…he knew I'd do whatever it takes to be with you and he used it against me. I just wanted to be a better man for you, Swan. I wanted to be the man I used to be for you and for Henry. But I failed and I see now what I bloody fool I was…And now because of it I might lose you."

He knew it was the truth since he left the Charmings' apartment, but saying the words aloud, he almost couldn't. And it was his fault. He should have known that Gold would want more power and would use Emma to get it as hers was the most powerful of all. If only he had told her, or if he hadn't been so blinded but his selfish ideas. How many times had he asked Emma to let him help her? Told her she didn't have to do this alone? In trying to do so himself, he had only made things worse and now Emma would suffer for it.

"I'm sorry." He whispered and took deep breaths to keep his emotions and tears at bay. He didn't deserve the comfort and relief that came with letting it all out. "But I hope you never forgive me because that means that you'll get this in time to save yourself…goodbye."

He put the phone away and glanced around the empty shop. What was he supposed to do now? Wait and hope that Emma would get the message and seek him out to give him the tongue lashing he deserved for his betrayal? Or wait to be informed by the gloating Crocodile himself that Emma was gone forever inside that bloody hat?

But maybe all hope wasn't lost yet he thought as his eyes landed on a map. He knew exactly how to get to the location the Crocodile had marked. And he would either get there in time to stop Emma or take his final attempt at killing the beast and the darkness that had taken his love from him too many times.

CS

Killian ran to the mansion where the broomstick had led him before. He only stopped once when he thought Emma might be calling. But it was only David. The stop though had given him a chance to catch his breath and the rest of the way was full speed ahead.

"Swan!" He called out once he reached the mansion.

"Watch your step, Captain. The terrain's a little rough around here." The Crocodile warned him as he came around to the front.

"Get out of my way, Crocodile." He stated through clenched teeth. "I'll die fighting before I let you use that bloody hat on Emma."

Instead of a verbal response, the Dark One sent him flying backwards into the fence and a hose wrapped around his waist, arms, and hook to keep him in place. He never did trust those things, always looking like a coiled snake ready to bite.

"Death can wait. How about I treat you to a front row seat and we can watch her use that hat on herself?" He suggested as Killian struggled against the hose which wouldn't budge. "Oh, and in case you were counting on Emma getting a message…don't. I'm not one for loose ends."

He should have known the Crocodile would know about the message. Take away his one hope of making things right with Emma.

"Don't worry. You'll get over her, just like you got over Milah." He taunted him as he moved closer. "How many centuries did that take? Though it matters not. This might even add a little fuel to your fire. Don't tell me you haven't missed the taste of vengeance."

"I'm not like you, Crocodile! I wouldn't drive away my son for my own twisted desires." He spat at him. "She's mother to an innocent boy. A boy Bae loved, even if he wasn't his. Don't do this!"

"I wish I didn't have to, but I need Miss Swan." The Crocodile replied almost calmly. Then his eyes narrowed like those of his reptile namesake. "And as you pointed out, Henry is not my grandson and Bae is dead. So why should I care?"

Then he turned around to face the house and Killian helplessly watched the glow that came from inside. But then the light dimmed and he allowed himself to let out a breath of relief as Gold's face no doubt fell.

"Oh, I'm guessing she didn't go through with it, so sorry. Oh, but I do love the look of loss on your face." Killian stated with a smug attitude, which was probably unwise but he couldn't bloody care. He even began to laugh a little, so relieved that Emma was safe.

He was hardly even listening to the plot Gold was explaining because there was no way he could succeed, nor would he ever get trapped into helping him again.

"…but to cast it, I need the heart of someone special…unfortunately everyone who fits that description is already dead. But one still lives."

This Killian listened to and he realized exactly what it meant. "No…no!"

"Yes, as luck would have it, dearie, you're my oldest friend." Gold stated with a sicken smile then a moment later Killian felt the pain in his chest as his heart was ripped out.

"Just do it." Killian panted as he stared at his heart literally in his enemy's hand, knowing he deserved it.

"Oh no, I promised you we'd have some fun first. You're gonna do everything I say because you're my puppet now. You're going to find another way to fill that hat with the power it needs. And then…then I'll kill you." The Crocodile told him menacingly, and Killian knew it was the truth.

* * *

 **This chapter was really hard to write and I'll admit this was the one that gave me writer's block a few weeks back. It feels kind of choppy and I know it was lacking Emma. But you'll see plenty from her in the next chaptef which goes a lot more smoothly. Still proud of myself for getting this one done though and I hope you enjoyed. Also, thanks for the reviews last time, and I enjoyed seeing your reactions to the proposel. See you on Monday after another OUaT episode. Who else is looking forward to Killian and David teaming up?**


	44. All That's Left

**Before we get to the chapter I want to give a shout-out to** Dancing4every1 **who wanted to see a movir the night with Shrek 2. I meant to say thank you for the idea last chapter but forgot, for which I apologize. And thank you to anyone else who has given suggestions or reviewed in general, they are all very much appreciated! And now to the story (though tissues may be needed at the end)**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything or any part of OUaT.**

* * *

"You see at the end of the day, you'll understand that everything that I've been saying is true. And then you'll do the last thing in the world you think possible right now." The Snow queen had told Emma while she was questioning her.

At the time she didn't believe a word of it and thought herself strong enough not to let anything under her skin. But how wrong she was.

"And all it takes is one tiny mistake, one accident, and you and your powers go from being their salvation to their worst nightmare." She warned her but Emma didn't believe that either.

But what made her blood boil, as well as the glass of water, was the comment about her brother being born normal and how her parents were thankful for it. And the Snow Queen didn't stop there, she went on and on about them not understanding, how it would turn to fear, and how they'd think of her as a monster.

"Shut up!" Emma yelled at her, just wanting her to stop.

Her old fears were making their way to the surface and Emma didn't want to fall back into that, into being a lost girl again. But when a blast of magic created a giant hole in the wall, a voice in the back of her mind told her that Ingrid was right. And when the street lamp hit her dad she knew, even before her mom's admonishment, that it was true. Forget about their nightmares, hers was coming true, especially when she hurt Henry.

She knew she needed help but her family was out of the question. She didn't want to risk hurting anyone else and couldn't face the fear that was no doubt in their eyes. And they say 'birds of a feather flock together' and that's where she'd find help. But she refused to let the Snow Queen win completely and decided to go Gold since she was just as bad as him probably when it came to hurting family.

So she went to the address Gold gave her then called her parents. She knew from Henry they were looking for her and wanted them to know she was okay. At least she would be after she opened the door and whatever was glowing behind it would take away her magic forever and she'd be normal just like everyone else. Her family would be safe and maybe villains wouldn't be drawn to their town anymore.

But there was one person she forgot about in all this, and that was a friend. Elsa found her just when she needed a friend most even if she didn't realize it. She was like a sister but Emma didn't have to worry about disappointing her like she did with her family sometimes. And they understood each other in a way that the others couldn't.

"My powers are out of control, there's no other way. Please, go now." Emma pleaded with her as she clasped her hands, hoping it would help somehow.

"No. You didn't give up on me even when you nearly froze to death in that ice cave. So I'm not giving up on you now." Elsa told her firmly but also with a care. "I know how scary it is, hurting someone you love. I've lived in fear of that my entire life. But giving up on your magic is not the answer. There's another way."

"Yeah, you told me all about how Anna's love saved you. And that's great. But guess what, my version of that with Henry didn't work." She replied and cringed as her mind replayed what happened with her son. "This is all I have left."

A part of her wished she didn't have to but nonetheless she turned around and reached out for the door handle. This was just what she had to do to protect everyone, protect them from her.

"I was wrong." Elsa spoke up and Emma quickly retracted her hand, glad to stall another minute. "I wasn't just Anna's love that saved me."

"What are you talking about?" Emma asked her as she turned back and took a step closer to her, hope stirring but she was still skeptical.

"I got control over my powers again without her." She told her then explained to her how. "I didn't really know until today, until the same thing happened to you, and then it finally hit me. It's not only Anna's love or Henry's that can save us. They accept us for who we are and that's important. But it's not enough. It's on us too. You have to love yourself, Emma, the good and the bad. The only way to truly be in control of your powers is to embrace them. Because this…this is who you are."

Then if her words weren't enough to shock her, Elsa did the last thing she expected and extended her hand toward her. "What are you doing?"

"It's time to stop being afraid." She said quietly and gave her and encouraging smile.

"But this could kill you." Emma told her, not believing how brave and trusting Elsa was.

"I'll take that risk if you will." Elsa replied simply. So much stronger than when they had first met.

And that's when Emma knew that the words she had just said about embracing her magic were true. So even though sparks were still coming from her hand she tentatively reached out for the one Elsa still had offered out to her. And when their hands met a burst of magic filled the room but it wasn't the destructive kind that blew a hole in the wall or cut Henry. It was the kind that she experienced when she woke Henry with True Love's Kiss and broke the curse. And also like then she was filled with relief as the weight of the past twenty-four hours was lifted from her shoulders. And she was able to give Elsa a shaky smile and something that was a mix between a laugh and a sob.

"Elsa, I…thank you." Emma told her, wanting to say more but unable to at the moment.

"I knew you could do it, Emma. And you did the same for me." Elsa stated and gave her a smile and then a brief but needed hug. "And what are friends for if they can't help you when your family can't either?"

"Yeah," Emma nodded and they began walking away from the double doors. "I love them but I was too afraid to go to them. I know it's stupid but I obviously wasn't being rational since I went to Gold for help. How did you find me here by the way? He's the only one that knew?"

"Regina brought a locator potion and David explained how it worked. Then you called, Hook left, and your parents went to talk privately, so I took the potion and your scarf and here I am."

Emma nodded again and was about to reply when Killian came around the corner.

"Swan, are you alright?" He asked and a second later he had her caught up in his arms.

"She didn't do it. She didn't take away her magic." Elsa told him while he continued to hug her as if she'd disappear if he let go.

"Wow, I've never seen people so happy about me not doing something." She commented, a little surprised by it all.

"We'll find another way to defeat the Snow Queen, together." He told her and finally loosened his grip a little. But he didn't let her get far, not that she wanted to, before giving her the kind of kiss they usually saved for when they were in private.

"Easy, tiger, we've got company." She told him, not that she was really complaining. "I didn't know you were such a fan of my magic."

"Why would you say that, Swan? I'm a fan of every part of you." He told her with a smile, but it was off. She knew he was speaking the truth as her superpower wasn't sensing anything but she had a gut feeling something wasn't right.

"Are you alright?"

"Of course, love, why?"

"If you look at me any harder you're gonna drill a hole in my head." She told him, trying to make a little joke, but knew if something was wrong then it wasn't a laughing matter.

"I'm just relieved." He told her and she decided to let it go for now. She herself was still in a bit of shock so maybe that's what it was for him too. "We should go outside. I have a feeling there are a lot of worried people who will be glad to see you."

He walked with her for a few steps then fell behind a little as she and Elsa continued to exit the mansion. She gave him a smile and figured he wanted to give her a moment with her parents and not wanting to get sucked into the group hug she found herself a part of once she was outside.

"Dad, I'm so sorry." She apologized and took a step back from them.

"It's fine, Emma, I'm fine." He told her and gave her a hug, just the way he always did that she secretly loved. "What matters now is that you're fine. And that you know we love you. Yes, we might not understand what it's like having magic but if we look at you differently it's because we are in awe and amazed by it. Not because of hate or fear."

"Your father's right, honey. I should be the one apologizing not you. I'm sorry you had to see the fear I had. I won't even try to find an excuse as to why. But I promise; you will never see it again. I love you and I know that your magic is an amazing gift." Her mom told her and Emma gave her a hug as well to show that the apology was accepted.

"Well, I still have one thing to apologize for." Emma stated and moved to Henry. "Henry, I never should have hurt you. And I am incredibly sorry."

"Elsa came and talked to me and so did Regina. I get it and I know you didn't mean to. Everyone gets scared and I'm just glad you didn't change." Henry told her and she felt relieved that he understood even though she would completely deserve it if he didn't. "I think after some cocoa with cinnamon I'll be good as new."

"I think we could all use some cocoa." She laughed and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. "You're a pretty great kid you know that? And also know that I don't want to change, and I won't let anyone convince me otherwise ever again. This is who I am and Elsa helped me see that."

She gave his shoulder a squeeze then stepped to the side and held out both her hands. It felt good to be using her magic again and to be in control instead of afraid as she brought the Northern Lights to Storybrooke and then a show of fireworks.

"Cool!" Henry said and she laughed to herself as she had said the same thing about Elsa's magic the morning after the ice wall incident. Everything was okay then and it'd okay now too.

CS

(Killians POV)

"Quite the show, love." Killian told her having caught the fireworks from the other side of the mansion.

Gold had been waiting for him to return with the magic hat box. And he gave her a proud smile, or at least tried to. He had been struggling to feel or show any emotions since his heart was ripped out. It was why he held her so tightly, trying to feel relief again that she was alright. Why he kissed her so passionately in front of Elsa, trying to feel and convey his love for her. And why he nearly 'drilled a hole in her head' with his stare, trying to feel…well anything. But he failed on all accounts. He was a shell of the man he was just several minutes prior and would be until the Dark One decided to kill him.

"What did I miss?" He asked, seeing the confused and concerned looks on their faces.

"These ribbons just appeared and syphoned our magic or something." Emma shrugged and held up her wrist for him to see. "I'm not sure what it means but my money is on the Snow Queen."

"Aye, so is mine. We'll get to the bottom of this, Swan." He promised her and he hoped he would be able to keep it and Gold wouldn't interfere.

"I know." She said with a rare, optimistic smile. "Tomorrow though, we've had enough to deal with today. I just wanna be with our family and friends tonight over cocoa."

"Sounds perfect, love." He replied and put an arm around both her and Henry and they made their way to her car.

CS

"Is everyone into this hope thing now?" Regina asked when Elsa found her sister's necklace and took it as a sign that they would win.

And Killian agreed with her, a necklace was grasping at straws a bit. But whether the pessimistic view was due to his lack of heart or not, he wasn't sure.

"If we're gonna win we need to stop wasting time." Emma stated, taking command as he loved to see her do, and gave everyone instructions on where to go and what to do. "Elsa and I are gonna talk to Gold and see if he has any ideas. Henry, you come with us."

"No, he's with me." Regina stated and the two got into a debate. At least he came to know that Emma was immune to the curse and he wouldn't have to worry about her.

"It's okay, Mom, I'll be fine with her." Henry assured her and she seemed to accept it.

"Be careful, kid." She said quietly as she gave him a hug.

"Keep your wits about you, lad." Killian told him and nodded toward the backpack where he knew Henry still had the bag of marbles he'd given him. It wasn't the best form of self-defense but who knew what would happen once everyone started turning on one another.

"We gotta go. This is happening now." Regina told them and he looked up to see the cloud was indeed getting closer. He felt a sense of déjà vu from when the curse came that took him back to the Enchanted Forest. At least they separation wouldn't be permanent this time.

CS

Saving the town, that's what he was supposed to be doing. But instead he was off on an errand for Gold. Not that anyone could get out of town by boat as they had hoped, but he could have gone back to Swan for plan B. Gold had a plan of his own though to take advantage of the situation they were in. The fairies were at Granny's trying to find a way to stop the curse but he wanted to 'kill the cure' by using them to fill his magic hat. That way he could leave town and save his own skin but still have his power once the dagger no longer had a hold on him. All while the rest of the town suffered the fate the Snow Queen had unleashed on them. And no matter how much he hated both the Crocodile and what he was doing; Killian had no bloody choice in the matter.

So he waited in the back hallway while Gold tried to get Belle to leave. How could the same man that cared so much about his power that he was willing to let innocent people die to get it, also care so much for his wife's safety and protection? As he waited her heard Emma and the others come in and his heart would have sunk if it was still in his chest. He hoped she didn't find him like this. He hated being the Dark One's servant and puppet but he hated the thought of disappointing Emma even more.

Luckily they left quickly and went out the front and a little while later Gold left with Belle as well. He willed himself to stay back as long as possible but he couldn't hold out forever and he suspected Gold had his heart in his hand as he was compelled to go after the fairies.

"I'm sorry, I truly am." He told Mother Superior who was the only one left. He had been ordered to get them all and knew he couldn't resist even if he tried.

He completed his task just in time though and quickly took the fairy's hiding spot behind the counter as Emma and some others entered. And for a moment he was almost glad his heart was gone so he couldn't feel the guilt that had come upon hearing Emma say they were to prepare for the worst. But he knew he was being a coward and he deserved to feel guilt along with the shame and a few other things for what he'd done.

CS

"Swan, a word?" He asked as he entered the sheriff's station.

He didn't want to tear her away from her parents who were locked up but he owed this to her. Even if he couldn't tell her the truth, she deserved a farewell to perhaps give her closure. And if the Dark One kept his word, and this truly was his last day, this was where he wanted to be. Gold had told him to enjoy it and that particular word would be stretching things quite a bit. But his 'dying wish' per say was one last moment with Emma and he was glad to have it.

"What are you doing here? You know what's about to happen." She asked him, and her voice trembled a bit and he could see the tears welling up. Even without his heart it still pained him to see his strong swan this way.

"Aye, I know. I just needed to see you before I chain myself to the dock for the protection of all. I needed to see you one more time." He told her. And it was true, he did want one more time but it would also be the last time. She just wouldn't realize it until after he was already gone probably.

"Killian, I am not a tearful, goodbye kiss person." She stated in a tone that showed she was trying to be firm. But the shaking of her voice told that she wasn't as strong as she was trying to appear. "But maybe just this once."

And a moment later her lips met his, almost like she had in Neverland. But in comparison it was more similar to their last kiss before he was sent back to the Enchanted Forest. It was desperate, passionate, a show of the feelings they couldn't speak, mixed with the taste of salt from Emma's tears, and all too short. But he knew time wasn't on either of their sides and he was lucky to have one last kiss at all and to hold her in his arms, gently swaying a bit, as well.

He wanted to dwell there, their arms around each other the greatest feeling of comfort in the world, forever. But he knew he had to leave before the curse came. If this was all he had left, he wanted this last sweet moment to be cherished not tainted by words filled with hatred and who bloody knows what else.

"Goodbye," He whispered letting his forehead rest against hers for a moment longer before quickly pulling away and leaving as fast as he could.

* * *

 **Not really sure how the missing heart thing goes when it comes to changes in feelings and emotions. It's a bit open to interpretation I guess and this seemed fitting. Like last chapter, there's a nice moment in the beginning with the family, which I enjoyed expanded on, then an emotional ending with the kiss and what's going on in Killian's head. So thanks for sticking out this emotional roller coaster, which isn't over yet though.** **But Emma thought giving up her magic was "all that's left" and Elsa helped her see another way. And Killian thinks the same but there's relief coming for him the chapter after next.**

 **Also the story is coming to an end unfortunately. Looks like 48 will be an epilogue. There's still a little bit to go but I wanted to give you a heads up. Also, this story is very close to 250 reviews! Thanks a million for each of them! So next chapter, Words & Deeds, may have a sneak peek attached if the milestone is reached. Thanks again and see you Thursday!**


	45. Words & Deeds

Emma raised her fingertips to her lips and watched as Killian quickly left the station. This wasn't their first goodbye kiss and it probably wouldn't be the last during a tough time. There was something about this one though that wasn't like any of the others, something she couldn't quite place. But this wasn't the time to dwell on the matter. As soon as this was over though she'd find him because she had a feeling the Snow Queen wasn't the one causing his trouble.

It was the cause of hers though and everyone else's in town, including her parents. She thought locking them up and taking Lucas from them was the worst part of all this but listening to them insult each other was just as bad. She went into her office to make a plan with Elsa, and also so she and Lucas couldn't hear them. But she could still see them arguing and didn't know what to do about the Snow Queen.

Anna surprisingly came to their rescue in more ways than one. And even though Emma thought Elsa using the necklace to find her instead of giving it to the fairies was a bad idea at the time, she was grateful for her help now. Apparently there was some legend and the circumstances were very similar and the curse was broken when the king, or in their case queen, died. Elsa and Anna understandably had hesitations about that part and Anna also wasn't happy about being the babysitter when it was her plan. But after a 'sister moment' Elsa managed to say something to her and then followed Emma outside.

And if that wasn't help enough, Anna was able to stop Ingrid in a way no one would have thought of. Somehow Regina had sent her and Kristoff to the beach and there she found a letter from her mother, Ingrid's true sister. She read it aloud for all three of them and it was a touching confession. But Ingrid believed it to be a lie and threw her and Elsa back so she could magically choke Anna. The letter contained a stone or something though and when Ingrid touched it, memories were restored to her and she came to realize casting the curse was wrong.

"The only way is if…" Anna began.

"I know. I have to destroy myself." Ingrid answered and continued despite their protests. "There's no other way. I am a monster. Not because of my powers but because of what I let them turn me into. I have to undo this."

"No, Ingrid, you'll die." Elsa told her and suddenly Emma wasn't as unconcerned about the Snow Queen's fate as she used to be. Whatever she'd seen had truly changed her.

"I know. It's okay." She replied, assuring them and seeming almost happy. "Elsa, Anna, you found each other. And, Emma, you found your family. Even if it wasn't with me."

The other day it had angered Emma when she seemed to care about her but now she knew it was true. This woman really did care and was happy she was happy. Her mind was hardly able to handle the change of feelings and emotions, especially as she watched the shattered pieces of glass slowly envelop Ingrid.

"You…you deserve your memories." She told her and used magic to give both her and Elsa the memories she'd taken.

And suddenly the folder of artwork, school papers and card Emma had found with Killian in the ice cream truck made sense. She really had been happy with Ingrid and had her first taste of what a home and family were like. It definitely made things bittersweet but she was glad to have the memories and see Ingrid, the woman she had cared about as well, doing the right thing.

"You three are so special, never forget that." She said to them before she gasped as more of her body was covered in the glass. There wasn't much time before she and the curse would be destroyed.

"There has to be another way. You deserve your happy ending too." Emma said, thinking of the scroll Elsa had read about them becoming sisters. It had to be true and just misinterpreted the first time, right?

"Long ago, a prophecy told me that you would lead me to just that and…and this is it. All I wanted was to have my sisters' love and…now I have it. Now…I get to join them." Ingrid spoke her last words as she died a hero's death.

It wasn't the typical happy ending that most expected. But did anything really happen that way? For Ingrid, it was to be with her sisters and through her death she would get that. And it was not in vain as snow began falling, reversing the effects of the curse and Elsa and Anna were making plans to restore Ingrid and Helga in the memories of their people. After the last few minutes, especially with regaining her own memories, Emma wished things could have been different. But Ingrid willing died to right her wrong and it wouldn't be right to take that from her.

CS

"And, Mom!" Henry came and hugged her in the middle of Main Street, surrounded by all their friends and family after giving one to Regina. Well, all of their family but one.

"Where's Killian? Did anyone see him during the curse or on your way here?" Emma cleared her throat and asked after her parents came up for air from their kiss. Watching them kiss that was still awkward and probably always would be no matter how happy she was for them.

"No, we haven't seen him since he came to say goodbye." Her mom told her and her dad nodded in agreement.

"And I haven't seen him since the town line." Regina added.

"I'm gonna try calling him." She sighed, hoping he was alright. It was unlike him to not be the first person by her side.

"Wait, I saw him during the curse." Henry spoke up. "Or spoke to him at least through the door."

"What the hell was the pirate doing there?" Regina asked with barely concealed rage. She had come to accept Henry spending time with Killian but was understandably over-protective. Henry wasn't safe with any of them during the curse, even his parents.

"He wanted me to come with him somewhere. Somewhere safe I think he said. And when I wouldn't listen, he…I don't know how but he opened the door even though Mom put a barrier around it to keep anyone from coming in. Good thing I had a backup plan though."

"Backup plan?" Emma asked him. What could possibly have done the job when magic failed?

"I dumped the marbles he gave me all around the doorway. He fell right on his butt." He told them and ended up laughing a bit. "I ran out before he got up and hid behind some bushes so I wouldn't be seen by him or anyone else that came by. But as I was leaving I saw Will Scarlet hanging around. He didn't pay any attention to me and I think he was waiting for Killian."

"Oh great…" She sighed, wondering what fight Scarlet probably picked with him. "I better go stop by your office, Regina, and make sure those two didn't kill each other."

"Wait, if you see your pirate, ask him where he was planning on taking Henry." Regina stopped her.

"Why? What does it matter? He obviously didn't take him anywhere or hurt him. It was the curse and it's over now." Emma asked her, not seeing the big deal.

"Exactly, he was cursed. Why would he go to Henry in the first place instead of trying to get revenge on Gold or something? And why say he wanted to take Henry somewhere safe?" She pointed out and Emma had to admit they were good questions.

"Well, maybe he didn't want Henry in your office because he thought it wasn't safe there." Mary Margaret suggested to Regina. "I mean cursed or not, he's still Henry's father. And you know what my reaction was when you commented on Lucas being a sound sleeper."

"Perhaps…" Regina replied, looking slightly convinced. "But something still doesn't seem right."

"Is anything right or normal during a curse?" Emma asked her rhetorically. "Anyway I'm gonna go find him and if any of you seem him first let me know. Anna, Elsa, could you fill them in on what happened?"

"Sure, good luck finding Hook." Elsa nodded and she nodded back before taking off towards the mayor's office.

CS

Thankfully it was Killian that found her as she checked the docks for a second time, running out of places to look. Together they returned to Granny's and took a nap since everyone was up all night due to the curse. She was too tired to ask where he had been or why he tried to get to Henry but planned to do so after they rested. But they woke up to a call from her mom about the town line.

They all met up and watched as Elsa finally took down the ice wall. But a magic barrier was still there keeping them in. And of course they needed to quickly find a way to get Elsa back as Anna chose then to inform her about the kingdom being taken over. At least the villain was no longer in Storybrooke and they've used portals before, they could do it again. Right?

CS

(Killian POV)

"Hey, Killian, where are you going? We're going to Granny's to make some sort of plan." Emma asked him once they got out of her car and he started walking in the opposite direction.

"I'm sorry, love. I uh…left my talking phone at the docks." Killian quickly tried to come up with some excuse. Even if he wanted to he couldn't tell her the Dark One was summoning him as he'd been ordered to silence. "It's actually why I was there before, but I forgot it again when I saw you there. I may think they're a bloody nuisance but I know you prefer when I have it. I won't be long."

"Okay, let me know if you also see any magic beans lying around." She joked then went inside with the others but he could tell she knew something was a little off.

He was a little surprised she hadn't called him on it. But he was relieved that she didn't for whatever reason. Lying to her so much was killing him and he dreaded what Gold had in store for him next.

To his surprise when the curse came he didn't fall victim to it. And the Dark One not only knew it would be that way because he had his heart, but also knew he could use it to his advantage. His plan was to cleave himself from the dagger and leave Storybrooke with Belle. But he also wanted to take Henry and use him to do it.

"What?" He had gasped in shock when he heard it but quickly recovered. He didn't want to show even the slightest emotion he still felt in front of the Crocodile. "Henry is nothing to you; you admitted that you didn't care the other night. Why take him with you? What lies are you going to feed him about all this because he will never leave here willingly?"

"You took my wife which caused me to lose my son. And I may have Belle but I've lost Bae forever and I want you to feel the same pain, dearie. But taking him away by killing you isn't enough, I want you to hand him over to me and watch as you're helpless to stop it." The Dark One replied with a cruel and taunting grin.

"You lost Bae and Milah on own, Crocodile. And I may have no choice in this but Emma and Regina will not let you take Henry from them. You can do what you want with me but you're a fool if you think you'll succeed against them, villains never do." He told him, confident that curse or no curse Henry's mothers would take care of him when he couldn't.

"Unless you really, really have no need for that tongue, I suggest you slither back outside into the hostile current and find your son." He stated, ignoring all he had said, and handed him a vial with red powder. "You'll be needing this."

When Killian got to the mayor's office he found the door locked and suspected it was magically protected as well and that's why Gold gave him the powder. But thankfully the lad outsmarted them all and stopped him so he didn't have to go through with kidnapping him. Killian was proud of his son despite the circumstances and what had been said. He knew he didn't mean it…at least he hoped so.

'There's no way I'm going anywhere with a dirty pirate.' and 'I never liked you and I like you even less now that you and Mom are getting married again as if it wasn't bad enough already.'.

The tumble he took thanks to those bloody marbles left him aching a bit but it wasn't as bad as the ache in his chest where his heart should have been. He came to find though that neither of those could be compared to the pain of the Dark One squeezing his heart. Just as he had with Milah, except, he purposely wasn't crushing it. He applied just enough pressure to cause the second greatest physical pain in his life, the first being the loss of his hand.

"The Snow Queen mucked up the border. Once you cross there's no co…coming back." He told him, panting through the pain. It was like talking when he'd been hit by that bloody car but worse.

Gold gave his heart one last squeeze and then he breathed in relief, especially when he realized Anna knew of his plan and could expose him. But of course he wasn't about to have that and took him to the mansion which apparently belonged to a sorcerer. It was he who brought the Snow Queen to this land and Gold planned to use the portal to send Anna and the others back to Arendale. Now all Killian had to do was give them the good news that he found them a way home.

He also had to give Swan some kind of warning. He wasn't hoping to be saved. He was just wanted her to know what happened and not be left wondering why he abandoned her.

"Hey, beautiful," He greeted her as he walked into Granny's and saw her sitting with their Arendale friends.

"Hey, what's up?" Swan asked as she followed him to the counter. "I know there's something wrong. I suspected before but now I know. Last time you said that you had just been hit by a car after shooting Belle."

"Don't worry Belle is fine, with the exception of who she's married to." He told her and poured rum into the teacups conveniently sitting there. An action disctated by Gold as he would've just given Emma the flask. "But I have been to see Gold and he told me where to locate a portal to Arendale. So bottoms up."

"He told you where there was a portal?" She asked skeptically and took the cup from him. "No deals or blackmail, he just told you?"

"Yes, it appears our Rumpelstiltskin has turned over a new leaf." He replied and couldn't believe he had actually said such a thing.

"Apparently dozens of leaves." She commented, not believing it either. "Are you sure we can trust him?"

"Positive." He answered and the word came straight from the devil they spoke of, as did everything else from that point. "The Crocodile really has changed."

"Brilliant, you do that." He stated when Emma was ready to leave and go to the portal. "I alas bruised myself during the curse; really need to get it seen to."

Even though Killian changed the subject, she had picked up that something was wrong by how he greeted her. And he hoped she caught it now as well. He sounded too much like Gold who really should've been smart enough to speak more realistically. Like he'd ever use a bruise as an excuse or claim to forget something as important as this?

"Yeah, Henry told us about your sore backside." Emma replied with a teasing smirk.

"Remind me to swear the lad to silence next time I see him." He replied freely without the bloody Crocodile dictating his words for a moment.

"And that is why I don't believe you're going to Whale for an icepack." She stated, finding the condemning proof. "Killian, what's wrong? You are acting strange."

"Nothing, I'm fine." He told her with a fake smile but knew she wasn't convinced as she drew her hand away from his cheek and looked a bit disappointed.

He hated that look and wanted to tell her everything but knew he couldn't and gave her a kiss instead to hopefully remove the frown from her face. And of course, the Crocodile chose that moment to bud in again.

"See you around, love." He was forced to say and for the first time ever that world felt completely wrong as it left his mouth.

Not only that but the kiss only lasted half a second and was completely empty. Before he at least tried to put something into it even though it didn't feel the same but Gold only allowed a quick peck. Killian was tired of this and with all his strength he fought against the urge to leave and grasped Emma's wrist. His hand shook but he held on as long as he could. And when he finally gave into the command to walk away, he let a piece of paper fall from his sleeve. It was his backup plan in case his spoken words failed. But he knew without a doubt she'd get the meaning behind the words he wrote. He just hoped it would be in time.

* * *

 **First off, what did you think of Ingrid's death? I wanted her to go out on a good note with Emma** **since I love the actress (who I still think of as Mrs. Claus, therefore she can't truly be a bad guy). And second, what do you think Killian wrote? Obviously he can't write 'Gold took my heart'. An** **d we all know Emma figures it out and does put his heart back, but what twist do you think will bring it about in this time around? Find out in the next chapter called Gifts which I am really excited about! And thanks for the reviews from last time! Each one means a lot no matter the overall total :) But I'm still super excited 250 was reached and shout-out to Abeylin1982 for being the 250th! All of you deserve a huge thank you more than I can say! And here is a well earned sneak peek for you!**

Gifts

Finally everything was ready and the stars filled the dark tower. Stars had always been a comfort to him, constant and sure. But now they brought a sense of dread as they weren't normal stars. They're purpose wasn't to light the sky and guide sailors. They would lead to the world being filled with even more darkness and lead towards the end of his life and no doubt countless others.

"Gold, no!" Emma yelled and they both looked to see her and her mother step out of the elevator.

"I'm sorry. I can't. I've waited too long for this and I'm too close." Gold answered, not sorry at all, and waved his hand to freeze Emma and Snow.

And for one split second Killian let fear show on his face. He didn't want Emma there to watch this. He wasn't being sent to another realm or threatened unless she gave up her magic. He was going to die and Emma would be forced to see it with her own eyes. And he couldn't even give her any comfort or last words to assure her things would be alright.

"Well, maybe not everything has went as planned, but this next part…I'm really going to enjoy." The Crocodile told him and began to crush his heart.

His grip was tighter than it ever was before and Killian couldn't hold back the yell of pain as he fell to his knees. He wanted to be strong and not give his murderer the satisfaction of hearing his cry but it was too much. His vision blurred and he truly thought in the next second it would be all over. But then it stopped and he was still alive and breathing.

"Why can't I…"

"Because I commanded you not to."

And suddenly there was Belle, standing behind them with the real dagger in hand. She looked hurt, disappointed, angry, and ready to slap her villainous husband.


	46. Gifts

Emma clutched her hand to her chest and held where Killian had grasped. She stared after him in confusion then saw a paper fall to the ground. She quickly picked it up and hoped it would give her some sort of clue.

 **Remember your gift, Swan. Remember when my heart was yours, love, Killian.**

Her gift? Did he mean her magic? But she didn't have a chance to decipher it any further.

"What did he say? Was it good news?" Anna quickly and excitedly asked her.

"Yeah, I think so. According to Gold, there should be a portal in the mansion." Emma told her then turned to Elsa. "It's where I went to…"

"I know and if Gold said it's there that makes sense." Elsa nodded.

"Great! Let's go!" Anna grinned wider than Emma thought possible and clapped her hands.

"Wait, I want to say bye to some of the others first." Elsa told her.

"Well, looks like you're in luck. Here come my parents now." She told them.

"Hey, you seem excited." Her dad commented when he saw Anna. "Good news?"

"Wonderful news! Hook found us a portal." Anna told them.

"That is wonderful news. I know how anxious you are about getting back to Arendale." Her mom nodded in understanding.

"Yes, we need to get back. But I have enjoyed getting to know all of you." Elsa kindly said to all of them.

"Don't tell him I said this but…I'm glad Killian grabbed that urn even though I told him not to and it feel through the portal." Emma admitted and everyone had a good laugh before heading out to the lakeside mansion.

CS

They picked up Henry on the way and he immediately found a giant door in the middle of the room that she hadn't recalled before. She hoped this wasn't a trick from Gold.

"Wait, maybe I should open it. Magic can be unpredictable." Emma suggested, not wanting Anna to get hurt with her excitement.

"So this is it." Elsa almost sighed and reached out for her hand.

"Appears so," Emma replied and grasped her hand. They had become such good friends and she'd really miss her.

"Thank you for taking such good care of my sister." Anna said and you could hear the sincere gratefulness.

"That's kind of what we do." Emma smiled, knowing it was for the best that they returned. If things were reversed she'd want to go home as well.

"Emma, thank you for everything, you've done so much. I could never repay you." Elsa said to her a minute later as everyone said their final goodbyes and gave her a hug. "And I wish I could be here when you and Killian finally get a break and renew your vows."

"Yeah, I wish you could too. I could have made you maid of honor since you clearly aren't afraid when I'm losing it." She told her and they laughed for a second. "And thank you for all that you did for me and the talk you had with Henry. Magic is a part of me that I shouldn't be afraid of and you helped me see that."

"Like I said, that's what friends are for." Elsa smiled and gave one last hug. "It's time. Please thank Killian and Mr. Gold for us as well."

Emma nodded then opened the door for them. Elsa was the first to go through, followed by Kristoff. And Anna was about to go then stopped and asked about Gold, assuming he was a fairy-godfather. Talk about opposite ends of the pendulum.

"What wait?" Anna asked when David told her Gold was Rumpelstiltskin.

"You know him? He explicitly said he didn't know anything about you." Emma stated, wondering how he lied when Belle used the dagger.

"Well that's a lie." Anna stated the obvious. "Not that I'm surprised. All he does is lie."

Anna was right; none of them should have been surprised.

"So Gold has been playing us the whole time. But why?" Emma wondered aloud as Anna stepped through the portal. But then she remembered Killian's note and it all made sense.

"It says was." She realized as she reread it.

"What does? What are you talking about?" Her dad asked her.

"The dagger was a fake and Killian knew it and now Gold has his heart. That's why he's been acting so strange." She told them and the seriousness started to hit her as the shock wore off.

"How do you know?" Her mom asked at the same time Henry asked, "How is that possible?"

"I'll explain on the way, come on!" She yelled as she ran outside.

CS

Month 2

 _"Swan, I have something for you, love." Killian announced as he entered her quarters._

 _"Is this your plan? Shower me with gifts to make me fall in love with you." She outright asked him and nodded to the small jewelry box next to her comb by the mirror that was filling up._

 _"The necklace yesterday after we captured that ship is completely different." He stated and looked slightly offended. "And I won't make you do anything. I know it's sudden for you still, but my heart is yours, Emma, whenever you're ready to accept it. I'll be here waiting patiently for as long as you need."_

 _"Thank you, Killian. I don't deserve this." She sighed speaking of both his feelings and whatever was in the box he handed her._

 _"Yes, you do." He told her and placed his hand on her cheek and gave her a look that said 'I love you' with a warm smile. "And thank me by opening it."_

 _"Remember my talk with Cogsworth?" He asked as she did so. "I wanted to cheer you up with a gift and he suggested something with meaning. I saw this, the next morning, and thought of you."_

 _"A dagger? Thinking I'll stab you in the back?" She teased, not seeing the connection._

 _"No," He shook his head and laughed. "I wanted to get you a sword but since you can hardly hold one properly, let alone fight yet, I thought a dagger would be best for now. And it's enchanted so it will never become dull. Your safety means everything to me, Swan. And I find one has a better outlook on things when you know you can at least protect yourself."_

 _"Well, maybe I just need you to show me again." She suggested with a hint of flirting._

 _"I think that's exactly your problem, Swan. You pay more attention to how close we are than what I'm trying to teach you." He whispered in her ear as he moved behind her. His left hand was at her waist and his right grabbed hers and held it out as if the dagger was a sword._

 _"That may be…" She replied and blushed, knowing he was right. She knew they were both breathing heavy and their hearts were in tune with each other. "But do you really want anyone else on the ship showing me, Captain?"_

 _"Not a bloody chance!" He growled and set down the dagger. "I'm the only one that gets the pleasure of doing this."_

 _And then without warning he set upon tickling her sides and making her squeal until she got the upper hand and elbowed him in the ribs. But he was not deterred in the slightest and starting kissing her instead and she sure didn't retaliate that._

CS

(Killian's POV)

"When the stars in the hat align with those in the sky, we shall begin." The Crocodile stated as they waited inside the clock tower.

"You mean I shall end. Let's not start mincing our words now." Killian told him. Even if he was to die in a matter of minutes he still didn't have time for such things.

"Oh, how brave. I half expected you to crumble at the precipice of your demise."

"I'm not the one who's a coward." He shot back.

For centuries he didn't care if he died at the Dark One's hands as long as it was in an attempt at his revenge. But now he had Emma and Henry to live for and he hated the thought of leaving them, especially in this way. It was his own bloody fault in a way and he knew it and the irony of the events were known to him as well. Despite all this though, he wouldn't give the Crocodile any pleasure in knowing how he felt.

"Well then you'll enjoy watching this coward crush your heart." Rumpelstiltskin replied and Killian thought he'd do it then and there.

But instead he used his magic to prepare for whatever he needed to do to cleave himself from the dagger. Killian hoped once again that Emma figured out his message to save herself the heartache of not knowing, as well as the town. A dark one without a dagger to control him painted an ugly picture of the future.

Finally everything was ready and the stars filled the dark tower. Stars had always been a comfort to him, constant and sure. But now they brought a sense of dread as they weren't normal stars. They're purpose wasn't to light the sky and guide sailors. They would lead to the world being filled with even more darkness and lead towards the end of his life and no doubt countless others.

"Gold, no!" Emma yelled and they both looked to see her and her mother step out of the elevator.

"I'm sorry. I can't. I've waited too long for this and I'm too close." Gold answered, not sorry at all, and waved his hand to freeze Emma and Snow.

And for one split second Killian let fear show on his face. He didn't want Emma there to watch this. He wasn't being sent to another realm or threatened unless she gave up her magic. He was going to die and Emma would be forced to see it with her own eyes. And he couldn't even give her any comfort or last words to assure her things would be alright.

"Well, maybe not everything has went as planned, but this next part…I'm really going to enjoy." The Crocodile told him and began to crush his heart.

His grip was tighter than it ever was before and Killian couldn't hold back the yell of pain as he fell to his knees. He wanted to be strong and not give his murderer the satisfaction of hearing his cry but it was too much. He squeezed his eyes shut and truly thought it was for the last time. But then it stopped and he was still alive and breathing.

"Why can't I…"

"Because I commanded you not to."

And suddenly there was Belle, standing behind them with the real dagger in hand. She looked hurt, disappointed, angry, and ready to slap her villainous husband.

"Drop the heart." She ordered him and Killian just managed to catch it.

Then she commanded him to release everyone and take her to the town line. He knew what would most likely happen and felt sorry for her. He would never understand how she loved that beast but she did. And she had saved him despite the many attempts he'd made on her life. He decided then that he'd let her grieve a little then try to show his gratitude.

"Killian, I…are you…" Emma stuttered as she raced up the stairs toward him.

"I believe so." He nodded as he stood up. "I'm so sorry, I…"

But he didn't get to finish as Emma gently wrapped her arms around him so as not to crush his heart then laid a kiss on his lips.

"I expect a full explanation for this later." She stated firmly as she drew back just enough to look him in the eye. "But for now let's get the hell out of here. Henry and my dad are at Granny's and probably worried."

"If I never come up here again it'll be too soon." He agreed and followed her downstairs.

CS

"Hook, what the hell happened?" David asked him when they entered Granny's.

"Oh, I didn't know you cared, mate." Killian couldn't help tease him.

"I don't." Dave stated in reply but Killian didn't need Emma's superpower to know he was lying. "But I do care about Emma and Henry."

"So do I." Regina stepped up. "What did you do now, Guyliner?"

"He got his heart taken out by Gold." Emma told her. "How do we get it back where it's supposed to be?"

"And he's still alive?" She asked dubiously. "Simple, just place it at his chest and shove it in."

"Okay, let's do it." Emma stated and nodded towards the hallway. "We'll be right back."

"Don't worry, Swan, I trust you." He told her and placed his heart literally in her hands. It was quite a relief and improvement over the Crocodile being the one in possession of it. "I have always said that it was yours, love."

"How 'bout we make that a figurative statement instead of literal one." She suggested with a hint to sarcasm and he could tell she was holding back a comment about how cheesy he was.

"As you wish." He replied, knowing what it meant to her and hoped it would calm her nerves. She was obviously unsure of herself but he knew she could do it. "Just be gent…"

His words of caution came to a halt as she thrust his heart back into his chest. There was a moment of shock as well as a bit of pain. But it was nothing compared to what the Crocodile had done and the rush of other feelings returning to him.

"Sorry…" She apologized and cringed a little. "I just thought if I did it quickly it be like ripping off a…"

This time it was his turn to cut her off as he kissed her with all he had. Never again would he take for granted the amazing feeling of their love. In a way it felt even stronger than before and he counted himself lucky to be holding her in his arms again.

"I told you, Swan. I'm a survivor." He whispered so as not to ruin the quiet and special moment between them.

Emma simply smiled, one of his favorite looks in all the realms, and placed her hand above his heart.

"I love you, Swan." He told and he was able to truly mean it again as he placed his hand over hers. "And I can't thank you enough."

"I love you too." She whispered and wrapped her other arm around his back and laid her head on his shoulder. "And don't thank me. Just stop giving me reason to doubt your survival skills, pirate."

"I'll do my best, love." He promised and kissed her temple.

They stood their together embracing one another and enjoying the peaceful moment between them. It was soon interrupted, and they still had much to talk about, but he was too happy to be annoyed by it, especially when he saw who it was.

"Sorry, I uh…wanted to talk to Killian away from everyone else but uh…I'll come back later." Henry stuttered and stared at the ground as his cheeks flushed red.

"No, you two talk. I'll go find Granny and see about getting us some cocoa." Emma pulled away from him and gave his hand a quick squeeze and patted Henry's shoulder as she walked past and into the main dining area.

"What's on your mind, lad?" Killian asked him with a hint of concern. They're relationship was certainly improving but he'd never come to him like this before.

"I uh, during the curse…what I said, I…"

"Henry, it's alright. That curse was created to make people tear each other apart." He assured him.

"Yeah, but I just want you to know that I really am happy for you and Mom. I thought when I brought her to Storybrooke that all she needed was me and her parents to be happy. And she does. But I know that she also needs you too and…and so do I."

Killian opened his mouth in shock by what Henry had admitted. He wanted to say something but he was too stunned to reply. What he thought would be his last day was turning into one of the greatest he could ask for.

"When Mom told us that Mr. Gold had…I was scared. I didn't want you to leave our family. And I knew there was I lot of things I should have said but didn't. But I guess the most important is; I'm glad you're okay…Dad."

Henry looked him the eye the entire time, like a strong young man despite the wetness in his eyes. If Killian thought his love for Emma felt intense with his heart back in place, he was sure it would burst now. Dad wasn't a term he was familiar with until he came to Storybrooke; in the Enchanted Forest it was usually either Father or Papa. And he was willing to be patient with Henry just as he had been with Emma. So he hadn't realized what a gift it was until now and he couldn't be more proud or pleased to hear it.

"As I told your mom, I'm a survivor. And I won't ever leave this family or you, my son." Killian told him with every ounce of sincerity in him and opened up his arms to his son.

Henry was nearing the age when even the hugs he gave Emma and Regina were slowly decreasing in number. And the biggest show of affection between father and son, up until now, had been an arm around the shoulders. But the embrace they shared then, however brief, was worth every hardship since returning to Storybrooke. Even the past few days which he hoped to never relive, he wouldn't trade for anything.

* * *

 **This just might be my favorite chapter and I hope you've enjoyed the full thing! I know the main focus is probably on Henry calling Killian "Dad" but did anyone catch my reference to Emma and Deckhand Killian? I've always wanted to go back and write a follow-up flashback to the one from chapter 4 but could never figure out a gift. So I needed a pointer to the dagger and there you have it. Maybe a little far fetched but who cares. Anyway... Thank you so much as always for your reviews and support! Again, I hope you enjoyed this one and I'll see you Thursday with some wedding prep!**


	47. Once Again

Two weeks later...

Things were actually normal for once in Storybrooke, maybe even peaceful. But Emma didn't want to go that far and jinx it. Which was why she planned to have her vow renewal next week, despite the protests her mom made that there wasn't enough time to properly plan it. She wanted to have it hopefully before the next villain/crisis in town. And of course Killian took her side.

"Okay, so Granny is taking care of the cake and the rest of the food." Her mom went over the checklist. "Dr. Whale agreed to play the violin…"

"Whale's gonna be there!" Her dad yelled as his face turned red. "When did you arrange that?"

"Yeah, and I didn't know he played. How do you…actually never mind. I don't wanna know." Emma began to ask but quickly stopped, still too awkward.

"You two are being ridiculous. I found out from Ruby and she was the one to ask if he would play." She sighed in irritation. "Now, the flowers will be done by Belle's father and…"

"Hey, Grandma, I think Luke needs a diaper change." Henry announced to them from the couch where he was reading to Lucas.

"Don't worry, Mom, I've got it. You keep planning." Emma said as she stood up from the table cluttered with wedding stuff, grateful for the break.

She took her brother to the changing table and did a pro-worth job if you asked her. She'd seen her mom do it enough and she had Regina's memories during her year in New York. She thought she was happy then with just Henry but that was nothing compared to how had happy these past few weeks had been.

"Here you go, Mom." Henry said as he came back and handed her a new outfit for Lucas.

"Thanks, kid," She replied as she took it and laughed when she saw which one he'd grabbed.

"Aren't you a little short for a Stormtrooper?" She asked her brother as she dressed him and of course he only babbled but she and Henry had another good laugh.

She still refused to call him Luke like everyone else did at this point. But she had to admit the jokes were pretty funny. And he looked adorable in the Stormtrooper outfit with matching hat.

"He may be small now but he'll be rescuing a princess of his own one day that's not his sister." Her dad joked as he came over to take a picture of his 'Luke and Leia' and she rolled her eyes. But she knew her parents loved those pictures and secretly she did too, she just wished the nickname didn't exist.

"Evening everyone," Killian greeted them as he entered the loft. "I take it I'm not late for the family dinner?"

"Nope, Mom's still planning and hasn't taken it out of the oven." She told him and gave him a quick kiss before placing Lucas in his bouncy chair. "How are things with Belle and your research?"

"I think we're getting somewhere. We found a book this morning we think might have some answers. But it needs to be translated and somehow sending messages with a magic box will help. Though, it will apparently take some time." He replied and a slight smile and she gave him one back.

The day after she placed his heart back where it belonged they went out to the docks and talked. She was a little disappointed at first that he hadn't come to her, and upset that he had put his life at risk. But most of all she was just thankful it was over and he was alright. And even though she had told him the fairies being trapped wasn't his fault she knew he still felt the guilt. So she was glad he was able to do something to help bring them back both to make things right and help him move past the guilt.

"As for Belle's personal wellbeing, she's healing slowly but surely. She was a bit withdrawn yesterday but I think finding this book has her spirits lifted. And I think keeping busy is helping instead of dwelling on the loss and finding other, self-destructive ways of coping." He added.

"Yeah, we wouldn't want her to become Lacey again. She's been hurt enough. But with friends I think she'll pull through." She replied and led him to the table her dad had cleared so they could eat.

CS

"Swan, where are you off to? The inn is that way?" Killian asked her and nodded in the opposite direction that she was headed.

"I know, but I have something I want to show you, come on." She stated and pulled his arm for him to follow her.

"What are you up to, love?" He wondered skeptically but she only laughed and shook her head.

"Killian, close your eyes and count to fifteen." She instructed him a few minutes later when the dock was in sight.

"If this is a prank, Swan, I'll tell your mother you want the puffiest wedding dress in Maine." He warned her but closed his eyes none the less.

Part of her wanted to retaliate with some sarcastic comment but she was too eager to show him the surprise. So she ignored it and after a quick glance to make sure his eyes were closed, she closed her own and focused on her magic. She pictured the _Jolly Roger_ in her mind and thought about all the memories she had on board. And several moments later when she opened her eyes, there she was, practically glowing in the light of the stars.

"Bloody hell," She heard Killian whisper behind her as the time limit was up and he opened his eyes. "The _Jolly_ she's here. How did you…"

"My magic," She replied and grinned at how stunned he looked. "It's not actually here though. I'm the product of true love but I'm not that good. I put a glamour spell on the boat you and Henry always take sailing. Since we're planning to have the ceremony here at the docks, I thought it'd be a nice touch but I wanted your opinion first. I also thought I could use mirror magic so Elsa could see things even though she can't be here in person."

"My opinion is that you never cease to amaze me, Emma. I think both would be a wonderful idea." He told her with the proud look he always had when it came to her magic. "And I'm touched by your thoughtfulness. I'll admit it crossed my mind when we started planning that we could be remarried on the _Jolly's_ deck. But I'll never regret the trade I made and this is the next best possible thing. Thank you, love."

"You're welcome." She told him and tried not to blush at the compliment.

CS

One week later...

"So, tomorrow's the big day." Emma commented as she got into bed beside Killian.

"Aye, nervous?" He asked as he set down the book he was reading.

"Not a bit." She stated firmly with an excited grin as she took the brace off his left arm. "How about you?"

"Tomorrow I get to see my wife walk down the aisle again, hear her say 'I do' again, and be pronounced her husband again. Many words could describe how I feel, but nervous certainly isn't one of them." He told her with a smile of his own and gave her a kiss.

"Good." She stated and began to rub circles over his scarred wrist.

It was something she had taken to doing after their talk. He admitted everything, the blackmail to get his hand back and why he did it, trapping an old man and the fairies in a magic hat, and how Gold got his heart. It was her way of letting him know she was 'a fan of every part of him'. She thought he knew before but they never really talked about his hook, she just accepted it as part of him. Obviously he had his doubts though, but he didn't anymore.

"I love you, Captain Jones." She said and turned to kiss his cheek.

"And I you, Mrs. Jones." He replied and gave her a kiss on the lips. "After all we've been through recently; I'm grateful I still get to call you that, that I'm still yours."

"You'll always be mine, Killian." She assured him. "I'm not happy about what you did but I understand. I was gonna do the same thing with my magic."

"I'm glad you had more sense than I." He sighed and tilted his head back against the headboard.

"That's because I had a friend to talk to, like I wish you had talked to me." She replied, not to make him feel guilty over it again but just stating a fact. "I would've told you what I'm telling you now. I don't need perfect, just you. When we met, I needed a captain with two hands who saved me from the water, gave me comfort in a strange world, and patiently waited for me to return his love. But now I need a reformed villain who's still a pirate, has scars and an uneasy past so he understands me, and makes me feel just as safe in his arms with a hook as he did with two hands."

"Emma, love, I…I don't even know what to say." He said quietly and she could hear the flood of emotion in his voice. He leaned on her shoulder, wrapped his arms around, and proceeded to whisper in her ear. "I love you, Emma, with all my heart. I'll never know what I did to deserve you or be the person you need."

"I think you said it pretty well. But you can always show me how you feel." She suggested with a smirk that mirrored his when he was flirting or making an innuendo.

"Aye, actions do speak louder than words, don't they?" He replied as his mood quickly changed. And show her he did!

CS

"My baby's getting married!" Her mom exclaimed with tears in her eyes the next morning, as Emma walked down the stairs of the loft.

Her dad had been kicked out earlier and he took Lucas with him so the place could be turned into a giant dressing room. Which was a good thing as Emma was only wearing a robe with lingerie underneath. If this was the reaction before her dress and veil were even on, she knew there would be a lot more happy tears to come before the wedding even started.

"Lucas is still only a few weeks old, Mom. I don't think you have to worry about him." Emma teased so she herself didn't get over emotional.

"You know what I mean. You'll always be my baby, Emma, no matter how old you are, what day it is, or that you're a big sister. I love you, Emma." Her mom told her and pulled her into a hug.

"Good thing I used the waterproof makeup." Regina stated as she came out of the bathroom after changing into her dress and saw both her and her mom with watery eyes. The comment was sarcastic but there was a smile behind it. "Go ahead and get your hugs out of the way now so you don't mess up the dress later."

"Right, of course, we can't have that." Her mom nodded and gave her one last squeeze before going to get the dress.

"You look good, Regina. Thanks for helping us, if it were just us, we'd be in a puddle of tears and nothing would get done." Emma told her as Regina stood in front of the mirror and put on her jewelry.

"Well, it is the job of the maid of honor isn't it?" She asked as she finished and then covered the mirror so Emma wouldn't see herself before the dress and veil were just right. "Thank you for that by the way, it's been a good way to keep myself busy. And I'm looking forward to being escorted by Henry. I hope Hook makes sure his tie is straight, good thing you decided on suits instead of tuxes."

"As much as we'd all love to see our guys in tuxedos I knew it wasn't wort the hassle of getting them to wear one. Besides the goal today is to renew my vows and have everything be as simple as possible." She laughed. "As for being maid of honor, I wouldn't have it any other way and you've done an incredible job."

At first Emma wasn't sure if she'd have a bridal party this time. But she wanted her mom to have a part in it other than the planning. She would've switched their roles but her mom insisted she was happy as a bridesmaid. And this way she could be escorted by her dad since he would stand beside Killian and Henry, the best man, after walking her down the aisle. Plus, it helped Regina distract herself after Robin crossed the town line.

"Here we are!" Her mom announced as she began unzipping the garment bag.

"Emma, you are so beautiful." She said a few minutes later with tears in her eyes once again after placing the veil atop her head.

"The pirate won't know what hit him." Regina assured her as she finally uncovered the mirror.

"Wow…" She gasped when she saw herself.

Since they were short on time she had chosen a basic dress from the shop on Main Street and then Regina was supposed to do the alterations needed with magic. What she didn't expect was the touches, especially on the sleeves and skirt, of her original wedding dress.

"How did you…"

"Mary Margaret gave me a sketch of your original dress. I didn't want to exactly copy it but I thought you'd appreciate little hints of the dress, especially since this doesn't need a corset." Regina explained and smiled with pride at her work and that she'd pulled off the surprise.

Emma vaguely remembered giving her mom the sketch on the way back from Neverland. She hadn't realized she still had it and assumed it was in the Enchanted Forest like the rest of the stuff in her trunks. Which, Killian had assured her he'd hidden away before trading his ship to Blackbeard.

"No corset is a definite improvement." She told her, and they all had a laugh. "Thank you, Regina, this means a lot and Killian really won't know what hit him."

"He's not the only one." A voice spoke from behind them and Emma turned to see her dad standing there. "You're beautiful, Emma. My baby girl is going to be the most gorgeous bride in Storybrooke."

"See, I'm not the only one who thinks you'll always be our baby." Her mom quickly pointed out teasingly. "But he's right. You are the sweetest bride and I am so, so happy for you, Emma."

"Thanks, Dad." She smiled and grasped his hand tightly as she knew she'd get yelled at if she wrinkled her dress by hugging him. Not that she cared but she didn't want to start a pointless argument. "Thanks, Mom, and I'm happy you're here. Last time I wondered what it would be like and now I know."

"Well, you won't have to wonder anymore, because we'll always be here." She told her and they shared another watery-eyed smile and held hands as well.

"You'll never have to do anything alone ever again, honey. And even though you have Killian, you still have us." Her dad stated and joined hands with her mom so they were all connected. "And we will…"

"Always find you." The three of them repeated together.

"I love you, Mom, Dad." She whispered, knowing that was the most she could manage without starting to cry. And thankfully Regina stepped forward and passed her a handkerchief.

"Come on, we've got a wedding to get to." Regina told them in a stern tone but her face was clearly anything but.

CS

(Killian's POV)

Killian paced around the boathouse and checked his pocket watch again, his gift from Emma since like her, he wouldn't be wearing a ring. And not out of nervousness but rather impatience. He also enjoyed rubbing his thumb over the words engraved on the back of the watch.

 _'Love you for all time, E.'_

"Looking at your watch every two minutes isn't going to get them here any faster, Dad." Henry told him as he fidgeted with his tie and Killian smiled as he did every time Henry called him that.

"I know, lad, but it's all I can do at the moment." He sighed and sat beside his son on one of the crates.

"So were you this anxious the first time?" Henry asked to fill the silence, and also to distract him probably. "And who had the job of making sure you didn't run away? Was it Smee?"

"Smee wasn't part of my crew yet. And nobody else had the job because wasn't one to be had. I knew your mom was the one for me and we were meant for one another even before I knew we were true love." He informed him so that he knew running wasn't an option for him then or now. "I was nervous though, I'll admit. I wanted to do things right and have everything perfect for Emma. And don't tell her I said this, but if you had to worry about one of us running, I thought it'd be her."

"But you know she won't run now, right?"

"Aye, I know that in…fifteen minutes I'll be standing under the arch and she and David will be walking down the aisle." He nodded confidently after checking his watch again. "We've both grown and as we have, so has our love I believe. I have no reason to doubt that and nothing to worry about. Except, for Regina if your tie isn't straight and we're not where we're supposed to be on time."

"Yeah we should probably get going." Henry laughed and let Killian fix his tie then they made their way to the dock.

And fourteen minutes later, Killian's heart almost left his chest again. But this time it was for a much, much better reason. He'd seen Regina and Snow make their way to the front and knew Emma was coming and that she'd be gorgeous. But even from a distance he knew he'd never seen a more beautiful sight as his swan gliding down the white runner on David's arm. Just like the first time he was blinking back tears and couldn't believe it was him she was walking towards, that at the end of this ceremony she'd be his again.

When she finally reached him, Dr. Hopper asked who gave her to be wed and thankfully David gave the appropriate answer. But everything after that was a blur as his sole focus was his Emma. His mind was also flashing back to their first wedding when he saw little hints of her old dress in the new one. She would never cease to amaze him, just as he would never cease to love her more and more everyday of their lives.

"I pronounce you, once again, husband and wife. Captain, you may kiss your bride." Dr. Hopper announced and the gathering of their friends and family cheered. But Emma was the only soul he was aware of and he gave her a kiss that made even him go weak and under normal circumstances would earn him at least a glare from Dave. But thankfully this was a special day and he fully intended to take advantage. And from the look in her eyes, so did Emma. This was the official start of a second chance for them. And he damn well intend to make the most of it!

* * *

 **Finally a chapter of nothing but fluff and the vow renewal! This was supposed to be an epilogue but it became a lot longer than intended. So think of this as part 1 of 2 and you get an extra chapter on Monday. It's bittersweet that this is the second to last one but it's been awesome and it's thanks to all you readers, reviewers, and followers. But I'll wait to get all sappy on you guys. Hope you've enjoyed this as much as I have (which is a ton!) and get ready to pack your bags for the honeymoon and trip down memory lane!**


	48. Their Love

"Swan, I believe our luggage got mixed up a bit." Killian told her as she came out of the bathroom.

They had arrived in Ireland for their honeymoon two days ago and they were still slowly unpacking. They had flown which was an interesting experience. Killian asked a hundred questions and felt a little airsick, but fortunately there were no trips to the tiny plane restroom. Afterwards he complained of course that that never happened when he flew the _Jolly Roger._ And she would have preferred that too, but flying was faster than a cruise of six days just to get there when they only had two weeks.

"No, my mom and I did the packing and got everything we needed. And nothing was misplaced during the flight." She answered and wondered what was missing. "What are you looking for?"

"It's not what I'm looking for, but what I found." He stated and held up a folded pink shirt for her to see. "I own nothing of this color!"

"Wait, I didn't pack that, let me see." She said and grabbed it from him. She unfolded it and couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, Killian!"

"What?"

"Remember when my dad said he'd get you back for the jokes about the glitter lips? Well, the time has come." She told him and managed to keep the laughs at bay. But she lost it again when she turned the shirt around and saw his reaction.

"Bloody hell! What the…that's not funny, Swan! Your father will walk the bloody plank for this when we get home!" Killian yelled and then mumbled a few curses under his breath.

Despite Killian's thought, Emma thought it was extremely funny. Who wouldn't find a pink shirt, with a picture of the animated Captain Hook, and the words 'Rolly Joger' printed on the front, hilarious?

"And it isn't even spelled right. It's one thing to make fun of a man. But to dishonor his ship? That is out of line." He continued to rant.

"Actually, my dad isn't the one to blame for that one, not entirely." Emma admitted and gave him a sheepish smile.

"You mean you knew about this hideous, insulting, outrage?" He demanded and threw the shirt in question in the wastebasket near the nightstand of the cottage they'd rented.

"No, I didn't know about the shirt. He must have gotten my mom to sneak it in." She told him and put her hands on his shoulders to calm him a bit. "But I might have mentioned the 'Rolly Joger' to him. Remember when I was with Hook when we were back in time? He was pretty drunk when we got to the ship and that's what he very proudly called it. And I made a joke that since the _Jolly Roger_ wasn't really at the wedding that the ship was the 'Rolly Joger'."

"My father-in-law using my wife and my past-self's drunken idiocy against me, wonderful." He stated sarcastically and threw his hand in the air as he walked across the room to the window.

"Killian, it's just a stupid joke that doesn't mean anything. But I'm sorry you're upset and that I told him about it." She apologized and came to stand behind him, grabbing his left arm and running her fingers over his wrist.

"You have no reason to be sorry, love. But your father does and very much." He stated but most of the anger had left him. Then he turned to her with a bit of a smirk. "But you may feel free to heal my wounded pride however you like."

"And how shall I do that?" She asked even though she knew full well what he was hinting at, as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Well, we are on our honeymoon, Mrs. Jones. So I should imagine something fitting with that." He replied and put his hand on her hip to bring her closer.

"I'll see what I can do." She told him with a smirk of her own before she kissed him better.

CS

They did many things that honeymooning couples would both inside and out of their little cottage. They toured some castles and museums on the rainy days, took boat rides and beach walks when the sun was out, and tried over a dozen pubs. But one of her favorite things to do was take a little hike to some nearby cliffs and watch the sunset.

"This is a first." Emma commented after she took a drink from Killian's flask.

"Watching the sunset from a cliff with a stunning view of the sea? This is hardly the first time on our trip, or in general. And hopefully it's far from the last." Killian replied, slightly confused, but still managed to make it really sweet.

"I hope so too." She smiled and took his hand in hers. "But I meant your flask, there's no rum in it. I don't believe I recall that ever happening before."

"Aye, I finished it off during our walk through Iveagh Gardens and I refilled it after we left the first brewery." He told her and she knew she had made a good choice in suggesting they visit the Guinness Storehouse as well as several other local distilleries. "Rum is still my preference but I've enjoyed trying some new alternatives."

"I agree, but Irish coffee is definitely a close second to cocoa and cinnamon." She nodded and moved closer to Killian's side. "Wish I had some right now."

"Sorry, I can't be of assistance there, Swan, though I could learn to make it when we return home. We certainly stocked up on whiskey and some other things this afternoon. You could drink it whenever Henry's at Regina's and you're in the mood for a more adult beverage. But you're the one with magic, why don't you just make a glass appear?" He suggested.

"We're outside of Storybrooke in the real world. Even if it could work, it's probably not a good idea." She shook her head.

"Then perhaps we should hunt ourselves down a leprechaun." He suggested with a teasing grin. "It rained not long ago so there may be a rainbow lingering somewhere."

"Leprechaun's are not real, Killian." She sighed and rolled her eyes for the hundredth time since arriving in Ireland.

"Says the woman on her second honeymoon with Captain Hook, who is the father of your son, and…"

"Okay, I get it, Hook." She stated with slight irritation, mostly because she couldn't make a comeback. "But you can't tell me you really want to chase after a short guy with a pot of gold when we can go back to the cottage and just make our own drinks."

"Well, I am a pirate and gold of any kind is highly tempting, love." He continued to tease her, as if it was actually up for debate.

"I guess it would be bad form to deprive you then." She said in mock seriousness to humor him. "But would you settle for playing with my golden hair while we sit in front of the fire with our drinks?"

"I don't think that'd be settling at all. Any pirate can have a supply of gold coins, but I'm the only one that has you." He told her and wrapped his jacket around her as the last rays of sunlight disappeared and they made their way back to the cottage.

CS

Their two weeks in Ireland were arguably the best of their life. Whatever they were doing or wherever they went, they enjoyed themselves as they were together. But at the end of it all, they couldn't wait to go home and see their family and friends again. The trip was amazing, but even if another crisis awaited them, it was time to go back where they belonged. But they had one more stop to make before they caught their flight home.

They took ferry ride to Hook Peninsula, home of Hook Lighthouse, one of the oldest lighthouses in the world. Henry had suggested it to them before they left. Going to Ireland was actually his and Killian's idea since it was where he 'came from' in the cover story she made up in New York. And Killian thought it was the ideal place as it was nicknamed the 'Emerald Isle' and such a place would highlight her eyes according to him.

The lighthouse itself didn't have anything to do with Captain Hook but they still couldn't pass it up. And she took lots of pictures of Killian, who even put on his hook which he hadn't been wearing in public, with the lighthouse in the background.

"Remember when I took you to a lighthouse for the first time?" Killian asked her as they enjoyed the view from the top.

"Our first, first date, how could I forget it? You always made me feel special, like I was worth something, that you loved me. But that day, I trusted you despite having never ridden a horse before. And as we watched the sunset on the horizon, and I thought about how you orchestrated it all, for me, I realized I wasn't nervous about you anymore. Even though I had said 'I love you' I was still scared because it was so new, but I wasn't after that." She told him something she never had before.

"I told you the waves can wash away your troubles if you let them." He stated with a smile and gave her a kiss. "What I remember is what I told you, the only thing more beautiful than the rising or setting of the sun is still you and only you, love."

"And you're still the most dashing rapscallion in all the realms." She smiled and told him before sharing another kiss.

"Remember when that really bad storm hit us just before the wedding?" She asked after the kiss. "It poured for days, I got a little seasick, and the _Jolly Roger_ took got some damage. I thought it would never end."

"I remember." He nodded and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I also remember you thought we would be stranded in the middle of the ocean forever. I'm still a little insulted by your lack of faith in me as captain."

"It wasn't you I doubted, it was the weather." She assured him. "I thought fate had it out for me. But when it was all over and the clouds went away, I could see the sun setting and I felt relieved. Then you came over and made some cheesy comment about the sun always coming out no matter how bad the storm. I wanted to tease you for it but I had to admit it was true. If fate went through so much trouble to bring us together and through that storm, it would make sure we had our wedding."

"I'll admit I was having similar thoughts that day." He told her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "But it wasn't seeing the sunset that gave me hope, it was seeing you. And before you say anything, you love when I'm cheesy and we both know it."

"I don't know what you're talking about." She feigned indifference.

"For one who can detect lies you're utterly terrible at telling them, love." He stated with a smug grin. "Remember when you called me cheesy for the first time? I was so bloody confused trying to figure out how food was relevant to my loving words and whether or not it was a compliment."

"Yeah, your face is pretty hilarious when you're confused. And I saw a lot of similar looks when it came to other things or sayings from this world." She couldn't help but laugh a little. "Though I imagine mine was about the same with some of the things you told me about the Enchanted Forest. Mainly that it was actually called the Enchanted Forest."

"Aye, you looked at me as if I had been marooned for a decade and completely lost my mind." He stated and shared in the laughter. "It was worth the insult to my sanity though to see how you took to it all like a sailor to the sea. I certainly didn't adapt that easily to this realm even with the foreknowledge of it from you."

"Well, in your defense you didn't remember the things I'd told you about." She shrugged. "Remember when you thought the Jell-O in the hospital was a hallucination? Part of the reason I was annoyed was because of how badly I wanted to laugh but couldn't. And how I should've known you'd escape."

"Pirate." He told her just as he had back then. "And I'll have you know, the reason I escaped was to find you. I was still didn't know how to respond to what you'd told me about our past. But I knew I could trust you to make sure I wasn't being poisoned."

"I'm glad you trusted me and didn't think I was crazy enough to be the one poisoning you after what I revealed out of the blue." She chuckled a bit self-consciously. He really could have thought she was crazy and avoided her like the plague after her hospital visit. He might not have taken her to Neverland, his curse wouldn't have been broken, and they wouldn't be here today.

"I'll admit I had some doubts after the beanstalk." He said with a bit of teasing. "But if you wanted me out of your life or dead, you could have let Rumpelstiltskin finish me off after the car failed to do the job. But you didn't, you looked out for me. You made sure the Crocodile couldn't get to me and showed you cared by trying to talk me out of my revenge and telling me the truth about us, despite how difficult I'm sure it was."

"I was a nervous wreck that night, but I was relieved you finally knew the truth, regardless of what you did with it. Although for the record, I'm really glad you gave me a chance, despite what I did on the beanstalk." She confessed to him and gave him a kiss, and unlike the beanstalk incident she had no intention of running away, this time or any time. "I love you, Killian."

"And I you, Mrs. Jones, forever." He replied and gave her another heartfelt kiss. "Remember when the crew had a drinking game going and you insisted on joining in?"

"Actually that's one I don't remember." She shook her head and looked down at her feet. "But I do remember waking up the next morning hungover with a twisted ankle."

"Well, if it's any consolation you can in second after yours truly." He told her with a teasing grin then suddenly looked a little sheepish and he rubbed that spot behind his ear. "And actually the twisted ankle was my fault. I took my eyes off you for one bloody second and you nearly fell off the gangplank and into the water. You twisted your ankle when I caught you."

"I think I vaguely recall you explaining something like that the next morning." She nodded, trying to think about it. "Thankfully I learned a lesson though and I never drink that much. Speaking of drinking, remember when I tricked you and hid all the rum on board?"

"Like I'd ever forget such an act of cruelty?" He asked with sarcasm. "Remember when you found those puppies hidden near the docks? A boy had apparently hidden them so his father wouldn't drown them."

"I'll never forget the look on his face when you gave his father enough gold to take care of them until they could find homes. You were his hero and I felt so lucky to be in love with someone like you." She told him with a smile and gave him a deserved kiss.

"I remember when I got my memories back." He began and held her hand in his. "Even though you left before I could tell you, I didn't mind. I just counted myself lucky to have remembered what we had together. I couldn't believe that everything you said and even more was true. I loved you and it was even sweeter than before since I knew what it was like not to have it. Just like it was when you returned my heart."

"I remember when you found me in New York. I was so confused." She sighed and wrapped her arms around his waist. "But despite everything, even our little fight and how chaotic those first few days were, I was really, really happy to have you back. I couldn't believe you found me but I probably shouldn't have been. Henry did it in Boston and he is your son. I'm so lucky to have you both and I don't know what I'd do without you. I know I've been through it before but I don't ever want to face that again."

"Aye, love; I know precisely what you mean. In all my years I've been to many places and seen some amazing sights. But the place I want to be is wherever you are. I'll always find you, Swan, and you'll never be without me, not truly. Because I'm a pirate and when I want something, I make sure I get it. You're the only one I want, Emma Jones, and I love you with all my heart."

As he spoke she hugged him even tighter and barely noticed the tear that ran down her cheek. Once upon a time she couldn't even imagine being loved in such a way, but she was. A pirate had fallen in love with a princess and she couldn't be happier with him. But this wasn't a happy ending; things were just beginning again for them. She knew they had an amazing future ahead of them and they would be together to the end of the world or time.

"And I love you, Killian Jones, my pirate, my dashing rapscallion, my hero, and my true love." She told him and the words barely slipped out of her mouth before it was otherwise occupied with his.

They had kiss a million times, especially during this trip alone, but each one was always special. And she was sure they'd both always remember this one as it tied with Buttercup and Westley's as the perfect one. Just like her ancestors, she and Killian's love for each other couldn't be broken with a thousand swords. But when those swords came all she had to do was remember. Remember the kisses, the words, the hugs, the moments, and most importantly…their love.

* * *

 **"That's all folks!" A story I started 34 weeks ago to the day (yes, I actually counted that) is now finished. It's amazing but also bittersweet. T** **hank you for giving this story a chance and an even bigger Thanks You for making it to the end here and I trust you enjoyed it. And shout-out to EmilyBae, revanmeetra87, CShipper and so many countless others for your support and reviews! Writing and sharing this has been an awesome experience and it's been great to hear from everybody. For now the fat lady has sung but I may do a sequel in future after I write some other stories I have ideas for. So again, THANK YOU so so much and look out for a new CS story hopefully coming soon in a couples weeks.**


End file.
